Boston Bruins get major setback as Nathan Horton expected to miss playoffs –NHL Update
It was a tough decision to make but Boston Bruins had to go ahead with it and shutdown one of their top forwards, Nathan Horton, due to reoccurring post-concussion symptoms which will force him to miss the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs with
the team.
Boston Bruins general manager, Peter Chiarelli, made the announcement on Wednesday morning, April 11, 2012.
Being one of the top physical forwards on the team, Boston really did need the player as they attempt at making a run to defend their Stanley Cup championship, but keeping in view his best interests, they could not risk adding him to the line-up.
"We've made the determination to shut him down for the remainder of the playoffs," GM Chiarelli said. "We felt that it wasn't in the long-term interest of Nathan to be having this spectre hanging over him of trying to come back during this playoff season.
He made one step forward and two steps back. We just made the determination upon consultation with our doctors, with Nathan, that it would be prudent to shut him down. He'll continue to rehab for next year."
Horton went out earlier in January, which became the second time he suffered a concussion in less than a year. It forced him to miss out on the remaining 36 games of the 2011-2012 NHL regular season.
The 26-year-old was drafted as the third overall pick by Florida Panthers during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and continued with his original team for six straight seasons until joining the Boston Bruins.
It was his first season as a Bruin in which he emerged as a winning player and contributed in a major way to Boston’s run for the Stanley Cup. Horton managed to play just 46 games this time around and potted 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) along with 54
minutes in penalty time.
Just a few weeks ago, it was looking like Horton would be making a comeback in time for the playoffs but it turned out that the situation only got worse.
Now, with one of their biggest players out, Boston will have to work harder, not only for themselves, but for Nathan Horton as well.
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