Bruins super star confirmed he will be out for the next 10 months

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Bruins placed veteran forward Milan Lucic on the long-term injured list Saturday before their game against the Detroit Red Wings.

The 35-year-old Lucic played in four games, getting two assists. He missed the last two games with what was called a lower-body injury after getting hit with a shot off an ankle in a game against Los Angeles on Oct. 21.

A 2011 Stanley Cup winner with the Bruins, Lucic returned during the offseason, signing a $1 million deal with $500,000 more possible in performance-based incentives.

To fill his roster spot, the club recalled forward Oskar Steen from their AHL affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island.

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Bruins injury updates: Patrice Bergeron for Game 1? Linus Ullmark? David Krejci?

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Patrice Bergeron has 1,294 regular-season games and 167 postseason appearances on his NHL resume. As such, he does not need one more practice.

That said, the captain left Thursday’s regular-season finale in Montreal after one period because of an upper-body injury. He did not practice on Saturday after Friday’s team-wide off day. The Bruins have one more tuneup on Sunday before Game 1 on Monday against the Panthers.

How this all leaves Bergeron for the start of the series remains to be seen. Linemate Brad Marchand, meanwhile, left practice early.

“We’re just giving him extra rest. He’s had a long year,” coach Jim Montgomery said of Bergeron. “Same thing with Marshy. Marshy wanted to give it a try today. He had a little bit of soreness. So I said, ‘Get off the ice.’ ”

Montgomery explained that part of his thinking with both veterans was the nature of Saturday’s practice: plenty of pace. The team also scrimmaged at the end of practice. Matt Grzelcyk, who reported soreness, did not participate in the session.

Pavel Zacha replaced Bergeron on the No. 1 line between Marchand and Jake DeBrusk.

Foligno optimistic for Game 1

One reason Montgomery opted for a scrimmage was to see how Nick Foligno and Derek Forbort would play at game tempo. Foligno missed the final 22 regular-season games because of a lower-body injury.

Montgomery said Foligno performed well. The left wing concurred.

“I feel great. Physically and mentally,” Foligno said. “Just really good. Used the time wisely that I had, unfortunately, to reset in a lot of ways to be ready for this. When I come back — I’m not promising anything — being the best version of myself for this club. That’s what we’ve always asked of any guy coming back from injury. I feel like this time has really given me that opportunity.”

Foligno returned to his fourth-line spot next to Tomas Nosek and Garnet Hathaway. A.J. Greer had taken most of the reps.

“I think I’ve made all the threats I can make to everybody,” Foligno cracked of his conversations with the coaches and medical staff. “Hopefully that did the trick and I’ll be back for Game 1.”

Forbort practiced on the No. 3 pair with Connor Clifton. Montgomery said he noticed rustiness in the defensive defenseman’s game. Whether Forbort will dress for Game 1 is unknown. The Bruins killed 56 of 60 penalties (93.3 percent) in the 15 games Forbort missed after blocking a shot.

Grzelcyk practiced on the extra pair with Jakub Zboril.

Ullmark returns

Linus Ullmark practiced without limitations. Ullmark left Game 81 in the third period because of an undisclosed injury. He did not travel to the regular-season finale.

“We don’t have any issues with him,” Montgomery said. “He was out there in practice. I thought he performed well.”

Montgomery declined to answer if Ullmark will start Game 1.

Krejci returns, too

David Krejci practiced between Tyler Bertuzzi and David Pastrnak. The No. 2 center did not dress for the last six regular-season games because of a lower-body injury. Montgomery had previously said that Krejci will be ready for Game 1.

Krejci has 124 career playoff points, the third-most in team history after Ray Bourque (161) and Bergeron (127).

‘Their Brad Marchand’

Top-line Matthew Tkachuk is good at scoring (109 points). He thrives on confrontation (123 penalty minutes). It sounds like a familiar combination.

“He’s their Brad Marchand,” Montgomery said. “He’s their emotional leader. He’s a tremendous competitor with a high, high hockey IQ. He’s not someone you’re going to deter. You’ve just got to defend him well and be aware of him when he’s on the ice.”

It remains to be seen whether the Bruins will use a Dmitry Orlov-Charlie McAvoy combination to shadow Tkachuk or deploy Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo. Orlov and McAvoy are more physical. Lindholm and Carlo have length.

The Bruins will also have to account for Aleksander Barkov, who centers Florida’s second line.

“They’re different players,” said Montgomery. “But Barkov’s an elite two-way center in this league.

Lyon, not Bobrovsky

Montgomery expects Alex Lyon to start Game 1. The former Yale goalie started Florida’s final eight games. Sergei Bobrovsky, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, would be the backup.

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