Injury Ward: First Round Playoff Edition

 

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have arrived! Will your favourite team have a healthy lineup as they begin their quest for Lord Stanley’s Mug? Find out in this week’s Injury Ward! Follow me on Twitter @BrennanDeSouza for the latest injury updates during the playoffs.

 

Boston Bruins

Kevan Miller – Will miss the beginning of Boston’s first round tilt with Toronto, as a result of a knee injury. He crashed awkwardly into the boards last week against Minnesota and is currently dealing with some swelling. At this point, we only know he won’t be available to “start” the series, so we could see him at some point down the road if the Bruins are still in contention. Boston will certainly miss an element of physicality without Miller in the lineup.

 

John Moore – Has been skating and the team hopes to have him back at some point during their first-round matchup with the Leafs.

 

Sean Kuraly – Bruins GM Don Sweeney revealed that Kuraly is skating and is expected to be back in the lineup at some point during Boston’s series with the Toronto. It is important to note that he’s been out of the lineup with a broken hand since March 21^st and while he has been skating, he hasn’t been holding a stick.

 

Toronto Maple Leafs

While the Leafs will have a healthy lineup when they kick off their first-round series against the Bruins on Thursday, I’d keep an eye on Jake Gardiner. He missed 18 games late in the season with a back issue and could still be dealing with some residual effects of that injury. Again, nothing official has been released by the team, but it’s still a situation to monitor.

 

Tampa Bay Lightning

Anton Stralman – Still working through a lower-body injury but has been skating on his own. The expectation is that he should be available at some point during Tampa’s first-round tilt with the Blue Jackets.

 

Columbus Blue Jackets

Adam McQuaid – Hasn’t shown signs of progress from his upper-body injury and did not travel with the team to Tampa Bay. McQuaid suffered the injury after taking an elbow to the head from Andrew Shaw in late March. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be available during Columbus&rsq