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Charlie McAvoy (Shoulder Injury)

McAvoy reported a shoulder injury last June 3. He had an arthroscopic stabilization procedure performed on his left shoulder. The recovery time for this treatment is six months, which means that he may not be able to return to action until early December.

Matt Grzelcyk (Shoulder Injury)

Matt Grzelcyk injured his shoulder the same day as McAvoy. He had an open stabilization procedure performed on his right shoulder. He is expected to be out of action for five months, which means that he could return at some point in November.

Mike Reilly (Ankle Injury)

Recovery time for Mike Reilly's right ankle tendon repair and bone fragment removal surgery is estimated to take three months. Therefore, Reilly should be ready for the start of the regular season.

Patrice Bergeron (Elbow Injury)

Bergeron had tendon repair surgery on his left elbow at the end of May. The 37-year-old center reports that his recovery is progressing as planned, and he expects to be ready for training camp by September.

The Boston Bruins’ Standing So Far

The Bruins have been bouncing around in the National Hockey League (NHL) Top Ten Power Rankings. Nonetheless, even though the Boston Bruins may not be favored to win their upcoming game against the Carolina Hurricanes, they are still a solid choice when it comes to Sports Betting Odds because the change on its roster could drive surprising results.

Breakout Prospects for the Bruins

With so many key players out of the game, the Bruins will likely rely on the progression of their young players. Let's take a look at a few young players that could propel this team to a breakthrough this year.

Trent Frederic

Trent Frederic is a player to watch very closely during the 2022-23 season. After a less-than-impressive showing of five points in 42 games during the 2020-21 season, Frederic had an outstanding showing of eight goals and 10 assists in 60 games during the recent season. To see this kind of improvement from the St. Louis native was exciting, but it's also good to know whether he can improve his offensive play any further in the new season.

Fabian Lysell

Lysell's arrival on the Bruins' NHL roster this season may signal the completion of their roster's voids. He has promising skating speed, power, and scoring potential. Lysell improved significantly for Vancouver last year in the Western Hockey League and was a major contributor to the team's historic playoff run. In this run, they stunned the top-seeded Everett Silvertips. He played in all 12 playoff games, hitting the goal four times and dishing out 17 assists for a total of 21 points.

Jack Studnicka

Unfortunately, despite re-signing Patrice Bergeron and anticipating the return of David Krejci, the Bruins' current roster lacks any chance of succeeding in the long run. Both of these seasoned players are approaching the end of their careers, which is hugely concerning. It's about time that Jack Studnicka must finally make his mark in the NHL this season.

Jakub Zboril

Last year, Jakub Zboril was on the edge of breaking out when he suffered an ACL tear. He was noticeably more assured with the puck and more consistent than he was in his debut season. However, he only played in 10 games last season, where he recorded three assists and a plus-1 rating. Despite this, there is confidence that he will maintain his positive progression this coming season.

Projected Opening Defense Pairings

The Bruins' opening-game lineup is likely to garner a lot of interest. Here are the expected defensive combinations for Opening Night, considering the injuries of the key players.

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

The last time Carlo and Lindholm played together was the previous season, for 529:19 of 5-on-5 ice time together over ten games. When this pair was on the ice together, the team was outscored by a wide margin. On the other hand, a sample size of 20:25 is far too tiny to draw meaningful conclusions. The two of them need more time together to start clicking.

Derek Forbort-Connor Clifton

The Bruins are making the right choice by keeping Forbort and Clifton together. With 529:19 of 5-on-5 games on the ice together last season, they have developed fantastic chemistry. When the Forbort-Clifton duo was on the ice together for five-on-five, the Bruins performed well, with a plus-83 advantage in shot attempts, a plus-93 advantage in shots on goal, and a plus-61 advantage in scoring chances.

Final Thoughts

Early in the 2022-23 NHL season, the Boston Bruins’ defense will be tested since few of the key players will not be in the rink. But now is also the moment to be hopeful about the team's fresh-faced skaters, who could help the team climb in the rankings.