That’s what I thought as well. My son has broken his wrist/arm twice (once on the ice) and it looked a lot like that.
Grizz is an easy guy to like. Hard worker, smart player, has improved tremendously over the last year +.
My question is, what has changed from last year when the B’s D (not entirely their fault) looked a little overwhelmed vs TB? In the aftermath comments were made to the effect that the team was too small on the left side. John Moore, who is 6’2”, 200+ pounds, and a plus skater, was signed. This appeared to be at least partially to address that sentiment? During the regular season, due to injuries and how well he has performed, Grizz has been in the lineup for 61 of the B’s 69 games, often over Moore.
Grizz was hurt last night, but provided he’s healthy for the playoffs, does he start? We all know the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. I would guess that the matchups will dictate who is in the starting lineup. Against an opponent like Toronto, who is generally regarded as more of a finesse/offensive team, Grizz probably starts over Moore. If the opponent is someone like the Caps, Moore likely slots in (with Miller).
This year notwithstanding, the more interesting thing to me is how the B’s FO sees the backend moving forward. IMO, it’s a given that you sign and keep McAvoy and Carlo as your building blocks and fill in around them. A team could do worse than having 73 and 25 anchor the right side for the next decade. Miller is signed for one more year, and the B’s have LH guys like Moore and others if a RH candidate doesn’t emerge.
The left side is the big question mark. First and foremost is Chara. Do you bring him back for one year? Two? Or do you bite the bullet and let him go after this season? Krug has one more year remaining on his deal. Do you bring him back after that, or do you trust that a combo of McAvoy, Grizz, or Vaak can replace his offense? If you keep Krug, does Grizz get dealt to address other needs? The B’s have three LHD prospects in Vaak, Lauzon, and Zboril that are all 6 feet or taller and 200 pounds or more. Two of them (UV and Zboril) are as fine a pair of skating D as you will ever see. What does the staff think is the upside for these three? Can UV step in for Chara as soon as next year? Can Lauzon step in for Krug in the Top 4? Can Zboril be a solid 3rd pair?
With this kind of intrigue, who needs soap operas?