A Bruins defensive grouping already without one of its regulars was hit with more bad news Wednesday, with Hampus Lindholm officially ruled out for what sounds like an extended spell.

“Hampus is a lower-body injury,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said following Wednesday’s practice in Dallas. “It’s gonna be weeks. Weeks is plural. Don’t ask me next week, please, for everybody.”

Montgomery’s update on Lindholm comes the morning after a block against a Justin Faulk first-period shot hit Lindholm off the left knee area and ended his night after just 8:17 of time on ice.

Hampus Lindholm went to the locker room shortly after blocking this shot from Justin Faulk. Looks like Lindholm took the puck off the left knee. pic.twitter.com/Omhc8skKmq

— Bear With Me (@BearWithMe_Pod) November 13, 2024

It’s also an absolutely devastating update for the B’s, too.

One of, if not the best and most consistent Boston skater to date this season, Lindholm hits the shelf with three goals and seven points through 17 games this season. Absolutely listening to the offseason messaging of having to generate more offense from the backend given their offseason losses up front, Lindholm’s 81 shot attempts are the third-most on the team (and tops among all Bruins defensemen), and his 14 takeaways rank tops among all Boston skaters.

And given a more even split in terms of his deployment this season compared to a year ago where it was a lot of heavy minutes in the defensive zone, the 6-foot-4 Lindholm has certainly become more of a true three-zone threat for Montgomery’s squad out of the gate.

One of 136 NHL defensemen to play at least 200 five-on-five minutes this season, Lindholm has been on the ice for just 8.06 high-danger chances against per 60, which is the 12th-best rate among that aforementioned crop of 136. Lindholm’s 61.11 goals-for percentage is also the 27th-best mark among that group, and that’s with the Swedish-born defenseman beginning less than 50 percent of his shifts in the attacking zone, meaning this is not a mere result of skating in a more offense-friendly role.

Considering the five-on-five struggles of the Bruins as a whole, those numbers have indeed been as important as they sound. Lindholm’s 52.83 Corsi-for percentage is tops among all Boston defensemen (over four percent better than Charlie McAvoy), and the Bruins have a plus-16 shot differential with Lindholm on the ice, at 118-102. They’re also in the black with Lindholm on the ice at five-on-five, with 11 goals for and seven against. And with Lindholm off the ice, the B’s have been outshot 247-202 (a minus-45 shot differential), and have broken even on the scoring front, with 16 goals for and 16 goals against.

As noted, Lindholm will have company on the shelf, with Andrew Peeke still out due to an upper-body injury. As of Monday, there was no noteworthy change when it came to Peeke’s status, with the rugged right-shot option still considered week to week and not an option until further notice.

With Lindholm (and Peeke) out of action for the Black and Gold, and without an extra body on this trip, the Bruins have recalled veteran journeyman Jordan Oesterle from Providence.

“His skating, his mobility,” Montgomery said of Oesterle, a veteran of over 300 NHL games over 10 seasons, when asked about his skillset. “He’s an excellent skater in every possible fashion: His edges, his pivots, his lateral movement at the offensive blue line, and his retrievals. And then it’s his brain. He’s a real smart hockey player that is exceptional at breaking the puck out and transitioning pucks.”

Oesterle comes to the NHL with two goals and eight points in nine games for Providence this season. Oesterle’s eight points are tops among all P-Bruins defensemen, and he departs the AHL with the 13th-most points among all AHL defensemen through the first month of the season.

Most recently at the NHL level, the 32-year-old Oesterle played in 22 games for the Flames in 2023-24.

But when it comes to outright ‘replacing’ Lindholm for the time being, it appears that second-year pro Mason Lohrei will take Lindholm’s spot on the second pairing opposite Brandon Carlo. Lohrei will also quarterback the Black and Gold’s second power-play unit.

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