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Jeremy Swayman, Bruins Excite NHL Fans in Game 1 Win vs. Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

Apr 21, 2024
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) stops Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) on the power play during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 20, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) stops Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) on the power play during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 20, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins needed to reverse momentum in Round 1 after a slump to end the season. Off the backs of Jake DeBrusk and Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins did just that.

Boston took a 4-0 lead after two periods and held strong, taking a 4-1 victory in order to take a 1-0 series lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins looked like a team that could be ripe for the taking at the end of the regular season. Boston lost the final two games of the season, which caused it to drop from the Atlantic Division lead and find a matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The result of this is a series that was set to be emotionally charged from the start. Toronto has not defeated Boston in a playoff series since 1959, and notably has lost to Boston three times in the first round since 2012-13.

This resulted in 100 hits combined in the game, including a whopping 48 in the opening period.

All of those series went to seven games, but a win in the opening game would have been huge for Toronto as it could have allowed it to capitalize on a slumping rival. In the first few minutes, the Maple Leafs looked keen on doing that.

Toronto fired the first four shots on net, but Bruins rookie John Beecher rifled the first shot past Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov to take the lead.

DeBrusk would get an assist on a Brandon Carlo goal and then scored two of his own in the second period to give Boston the huge lead.

Toronto would get one back in the third period, but a Trent Frederic empty-netter sealed the deal.

While the offensive output was notable, Swayman's play in the net was a huge reason why the Bruins were able to take this win. The 25-year-old made 35 saves, which was good for a .972 save percentage and a well-deserved hug from batterymate Linus Ullmark.

Fans took to social media to praise Swayman and the Bruins and project a successful series for Boston:

Swayman's performance was masterful, but he may get a break before his next performance.

The Bruins entered the postseason with the strategy of continuing the goalie rotation from the regular season. That would likely signal Ullmark being in the net for Game 2. However, Swayman's dominance against the Leafs in 2023-24, combined with his stellar Game 1 performance, should make that decision a bit more challenging.

Regardless of who is in net, the Bruins will look to take a 2-0 lead Monday when it hosts Toronto at 7 P.M. ET.

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews on Just Missing 70-Goal NHL Season: 'Wasn't Meant to Be'

Apr 18, 2024
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 17: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs shoots against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at the Amalie Arena on April 17, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 17: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs shoots against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at the Amalie Arena on April 17, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Auston Matthews' quest for 70 goals fell short in Wednesday's regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Toronto Maple Leafs star remained in good spirits.

"I wanted it, for sure, but it just wasn't meant to be," Matthews told reporters. "The most important thing is the team and the team's success, making sure I'm pulling my weight as a leader on this team and help the team win. That's where my focus is at."

Matthews finished the 2023-24 season with an NHL-high 69 goals, 12 more than any other player. He would have been the ninth player in NHL history to top the 70-goal mark and the first since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny pulled off the feat in 1992-93.

"He's played so tremendously well," Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I know there's been a lot of focus on him reaching 70 goals; you kind of lose sight of how well he's played. The way he's played these last two games—give him those types of chances and those types of shots, and he could have had 75. It wasn't meant to be, and that's OK—69 is an unbelievable season."

Despite his goal-scoring prowess, Matthews will almost certainly fall short of winning his second Hart Trophy. Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon is the overwhelming favorite to win that award after finishing with 138 points. Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid will also likely finish ahead of Matthews in the final voting.

Matthews' undoing is his lack of assists, as he finished with just 38 this season. He had been over 40 assists in each of the previous two years.

The Leafs finished the regular season with four straight losses but still made the playoffs with 102 points.

NHL Playoff Picture 2024: Maple Leafs, Lightning Clinch Spots; Updated Standings

Apr 6, 2024
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 3: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes part in warm ups before playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena on April 3, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 3: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes part in warm ups before playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena on April 3, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning are officially headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following losses by the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals, the Maple Leafs punched their ticket to the playoffs. The Detroit Red Wings' defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers also allowed Tampa Bay to secure its spot.

Here's a look at the updated NHL standings following the Maple Leafs and Lightning clinching their respective playoff berths.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

  1. Boston Bruins: 45-17-15, 105 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Florida Panthers: 48-24-5, 101 points (Clinched playoffs)
  3. Toronto Maple Leafs: 43-23-9, 95 points (Clinched playoffs)

Metropolitan Division

  1. New York Rangers: 52-21-4, 108 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Carolina Hurricanes: 48-22-7, 103 points (Clinched playoffs)
  3. New York Islanders: 34-27-15, 83 points

Wild-Card Race

  1. Tampa Bay Lightning: 43-26-7, 93 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Philadelphia Flyers: 36-30-11, 83 points
  3. Washington Capitals: 36-30-10, 82 points
  4. Detroit Red Wings: 37-31-8, 82 points
  5. Pittsburgh Penguins: 35-30-11, 81 points
  6. Buffalo Sabres: 37-35-5, 79 points
  7. New Jersey Devils: 36-36-4, 76 points
  8. Ottawa Senators: 33-38-4, 70 points
  9. Montreal Canadiens: 29-34-12, 70 points
  10. Columbus Blue Jackets: 25-39-12, 62 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

Western Conference

Central Division

  1. Dallas Stars: 48-19-9, 105 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Colorado Avalanche: 48-22-6, 102 points (Clinched playoffs)
  3. Winnipeg Jets: 46-24-6, 98 points (Clinched playoffs)

Pacific Division

  1. Vancouver Canucks: 47-21-8, 102 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Edmonton Oilers: 45-24-5, 95 points
  3. Vegas Golden Knights: 42-25-8, 92 points

Wild-Card Race

  1. Nashville Predators: 44-28-4, 92 points
  2. Los Angeles Kings: 40-25-11, 91 points
  3. St. Louis Blues: 40-32-4, 84 points
  4. Minnesota Wild: 36-30-9, 81 points
  5. Seattle Kraken: 31-31-13, 75 points
  6. Calgary Flames: 34-36-5, 73 points
  7. Arizona Coyotes: 31-39-5, 67 points
  8. Anaheim Ducks: 25-47-4, 54 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
  9. Chicago Blackhawks: 22-48-5, 49 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
  10. San Jose Sharks: 17-50-8, 42 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

Toronto center Auston Matthews leads the team with 99 points, while his 63 goals are the most of any NHL player. William Nylander is right behind Matthews for the team lead in points, recording 95 of his own which includes 55 assists.

Goaltender Ilya Samsonov has notched 21 wins compared to just six losses, continuing his strong second half of the season.

The Lightning booked their seventh straight trip to the playoffs and will look to make it further after a first-round defeat in 2023. Tampa Bay had reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of the previous three seasons.

In the team's 2023-24 campaign, forward Nikita Kucherov holds the NHL lead with 133 points. This includes 43 goals and 90 assists in 75 games played.

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has also performed admirably after missing the start of the season after undergoing back surgery, owning a record of 29-17-2. He's allowed 133 total goals in his 48 appearances while recording 1,216 saves.

The Lightning have hit their stride as of late, winning 10 of their past 12 games.

As for the Maple Leafs, they currently hold a record of 43-23-9. They secured their eighth straight playoff appearance on Friday after their Stanley Cup hopes ended in the second round of the playoffs in 2023.

The Maple Leafs will be seeking their 14th Stanley Cup, while the Lightning will attempt to win their fourth cup.

Video: Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews 9th NHL Player Ever with Multiple 60-Goal Seasons

Mar 31, 2024
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his 60th goal of the season during an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 30, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his 60th goal of the season during an NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 30, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Auston Matthews is officially a two-time 60-goal scorer.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward scored his 60th goal of the 2023-24 season on Saturday to help his team take down the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 at KeyBank Center and improve to 42-22-9 on the year.

Matthews is the ninth player in NHL history with multiple 60-goal seasons, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito, Brett Hull, Pavel Bure, Jari Kurri and Steve Yzerman.

Matthews also reached the 60-goal mark during the 2021-22 season when he recorded a career-high 106 points.

With nine regular-season games remaining, Matthews is expected to set a new career-high in goals. If he reaches the 65-goal mark, he would become the first player since Alexander Ovechkin in 2007-08 to accomplish the feat.

The Maple Leafs, which are still in the playoff hunt and sit third in the Atlantic Division, will return to action on Monday against the Florida Panthers.

NHL Playoff Picture 2024: Updated Standings as Bruins, More Clinch Postseason Berth

Mar 29, 2024
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 19: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his hat trick against the Ottawa Senators with teammate Danton Heinen #43 during the third period at the TD Garden on March 19, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 19: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his hat trick against the Ottawa Senators with teammate Danton Heinen #43 during the third period at the TD Garden on March 19, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

After last year's disappointing first round playoff exit, the Boston Bruins are officially headed back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a chance to redeem themselves.

The Bruins clinched a playoff berth for the eighth straight season on Thursday courtesy of the Detroit Red Wings' 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Detroit's loss also had more postseason implications.

As a result, the Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth and the Florida Panthers punched their ticket to the postseason.

Carolina is back in the playoffs for the sixth straight year, and Florida returns to postseason action for the fourth straight season. The Panthers are aiming to get back to the Stanley Cup Final following last year's loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

With three more teams having clinched playoff berths, here's a look at the updated playoff picture.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

  1. Boston Bruins: 42-17-15, 99 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Florida Panthers: 46-22-5, 97 points (Clinched playoffs)
  3. Toronto Maple Leafs: 41-22-9, 91 points

Metropolitan Division

  1. New York Rangers: 48-20-4, 100 points (Clinched playoffs)
  2. Carolina Hurricanes: 46-21-7, 99 points (Clinched playoffs)
  3. Philadelphia Flyers: 36-28-10, 82 points

Wild-Card Race

  1. Tampa Bay Lightning: 40-25-7, 87 points
  2. Washington Capitals: 36-27-9, 81 points
  3. Detroit Red Wings: 36-30-7, 79 points
  4. New York Islanders: 31-26-15, 77 points
  5. New Jersey Devils: 36-33-4, 76 points
  6. Pittsburgh Penguins: 32-30-10, 74 points
  7. Buffalo Sabres: 34-34-5, 73 points
  8. Ottawa Senators: 32-36-4, 68 points
  9. Montreal Canadiens: 28-32-12, 68 points
  10. Columbus Blue Jackets: 23-28-12, 58 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

Western Conference

Central Division

  1. Dallas Stars: 45-19-9, 99 points
  2. Colorado Avalanche: 46-21-5, 97 points
  3. Winnipeg Jets: 44-22-6, 94 points

Pacific Division

  1. Vancouver Canucks: 45-19-8, 98 points
  2. Edmonton Oilers: 43-23-4, 90 points
  3. Los Angeles Kings: 38-22-11, 87 points

Wild-Card Race

  1. Nashville Predators: 43-25-4, 90 points
  2. Vegas Golden Knights: 39-25-8, 86 points
  3. St. Louis Blues: 38-30-4, 80 points
  4. Minnesota Wild: 34-28-9, 77 points
  5. Calgary Flames: 33-33-5, 71 points
  6. Seattle Kraken: 29-29-13, 71 points
  7. Arizona Coyotes: 30-37-5, 65 points
  8. Anaheim Ducks: 24-44-4, 52 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
  9. Chicago Blackhawks: 21-47-5, 47 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
  10. San Jose Sharks: 16-47-8, 40 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

While the Bruins are consistently among the NHL's top teams, the franchise hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 2011.

After putting together a historic 2022-23 season, Boston was considered the team to beat in last year's playoffs, but the Black and Gold ultimately fell to the Panthers in the first round.

The Bruins entered this season with a very different roster following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci and the departures of players like Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Bertuzzi, but they have arguably exceeded expectations thanks to players like Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and Danton Heinen.

Heinen, in particular, has been a pleasant surprise for the Bruins after he joined the team on a tryout agreement during training camp before signing a minimum deal at the start of the season.

The Bruins are still waiting on Patrick Maroon to make his highly-anticipated debut after being acquired at the trade deadline. Maroon is recovering from back surgery and should provide Boston some additional grit entering the postseason.

As for the Hurricanes, they haven't won a Stanley Cup since head coach Rod Brind'Amour captained the team to the title in 2006.

Carolina has been a Stanley Cup threat over the last several seasons but has never been able to get over the hump. The Canes fell to the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

The team is led by the likes of Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis, but the addition of Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline could prove to be a game-changer for the franchise in the playoffs.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have never won the Stanley Cup. They came close to winning the title last season but were taken down by Mark Stone and the Golden Knights.

Florida continues to be led by Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov. However, the franchise made some solid additions in Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo to bolster the roster for what should be a deep playoff run.

Maple Leafs Must Add Nick Jensen for 2024 Stanley Cup Push Amid NHL Trade Rumors

Erik Beaston
Mar 3, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: Nick Jensen #3 of the Washington Capitals skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Capital One Arena on March 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 01: Nick Jensen #3 of the Washington Capitals skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Capital One Arena on March 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference at 35-17-8 and, thanks to their electric offense, are considered a Stanley Cup contender. To truly emerge from the rest of the pack, however, the team still has upgrades to make on the defensive side of the puck.

The team is 13th in the NHL in terms of goals against per game. The team is allowing 3.15 per outing and while they have the offensive firepower to still win games despite giving up those scores, it will be difficult to continue that clip in the postseason and ultimately get where they want to go.

The team has already addressed its defensive needs once, acquiring Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks, but could still use more depth, particularly on the right side of the line.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast (16:16 mark) that, "They were looking at a lot of right-shot D... I heard Nick Jensen was kind of name that they were looking at."

Jensen has had an up-and-down season for the Washington Capitals to this point but he is a good skater who can contribute on offense but is primarily going to benefit any potential suitor as a shutdown specialist.

He has only eight points this season but is seeing the ice for just over 19 minutes a game.

Acquiring him will not be cheap because, although the Capitals have a wealth of defensemen right now, Jensen has been a top-four guy for the team so dealing him would require a reasonable return.

It is a deal the Maple Leafs must make if they hope to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup.

The team has won a single playoff series over the last decade, a staggering stat that is simply unacceptable given the money that has been spent and the talent that takes the ice every night. They need an edge, a toughness on defense that makes it more difficult for teams to find paydirt.

The veteran Jensen gives them that and the fact that he has two years remaining on his contract means whatever the team gives up for him, be it a player, draft pick, or both, will not be for a rental piece.

There are other options available to the team at the trade deadline, including Noah Hanifin, Sean Walker, Luke Schenn, and Matt Dumba, but Jensen fits both from a financial standpoint (cap hit: $4,050,000) and the fact that he can benefit offensively if need be and would likely see an opportunity for his production increase on a team with the offensive output of the Leafs.

He is not an explosive, headlines-grabbing name but Jensen has the potential to be a sneaky-good pickup for general manager Brad Treliving and one the team can benefit from as they chase their first NHL title since 1967.

Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Set for 2025 NHL Stadium Series at OSU's Ohio Stadium

Feb 18, 2024
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 11: Jack Roslovic #96 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battles for position with Alex DeBrincat #93 of the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Little Caesars Arena on November 11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit defeated Columbus 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 11: Jack Roslovic #96 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battles for position with Alex DeBrincat #93 of the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Little Caesars Arena on November 11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit defeated Columbus 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are headed outdoors.

The Blue Jackets will host the Red Wings in a Stadium Series matchup at Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State football team, on March 1, 2025, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Saturday.

In a way, the matchup brings a longstanding college football rivalry to the ice with the team from Ohio and the franchise from Michigan going head-to-head.

Of course, in the Michigan versus Ohio State college football rivalry, the Wolverines have dominated the Buckeyes of late, winning their last three matchups dating back to the 2021 season.

Will the Red Wings be able to keep the Michigan tradition going with a win over the Blue Jackets?

The game comes at somewhat of an awkward time for both franchises.

The Blue Jackets, which sit eighth in the Metropolitan Division with a 16-26-10 record, are on pace to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Red Wings, which are fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 27-20-6 record, haven't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season and are currently fighting for a postseason spot.

That said, both franchises boast some solid star-level talent that should make for an exciting matchup. Columbus has a lineup that includes Johnny Gaudreau, Zach Werenski and Adam Fantili, and Detroit has a roster that features Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider.

The 2025 Stadium Series marks the first-ever outdoor game for the Blue Jackets. They have hosted major NHL events, such as the 2007 draft and the 2015 All-Star Game, at Nationwide Arena, but haven't participated in an outdoor game.

The only other NHL franchises to have not played an outdoor matchup are the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers.

The Blue Jackets had been clamoring for an outdoor game over the last several years, but Ohio Stadium previously wasn't an option because the university said it couldn't host an outdoor matchup deep into the winter months due to the stadium not being winterized and water being shut off to the building after the final football game of each season, per The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.

However, Ohio State "recently committed to spending $600,000 to upgrade and improve the heating system in the building, and the NHL indicated that those changes would be sufficient for them," Portzline added.

The matchup is a Stadium Series game and not the Jan. 1 Winter Classic because the university did not want a major event on campus to distract from the end of the football season, per Portzline.

For the Red Wings, the matchup will mark the fifth time they've played outdoors. Detroit played in the 2009 and 2014 Winter Classics, the 2016 Stadium Series and the 2017 Centennial Classic.

Milan Lucic's Domestic Assault Case Dropped Due to Lack of Evidence amid Bruins Leave

Feb 16, 2024
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 11: Boston Bruins left wing Milan Lucic (17) looks up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 11: Boston Bruins left wing Milan Lucic (17) looks up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The domestic assault case against Boston Bruins winger Milan Lucic was dropped Friday, according to WCVB's Phil Tenser.

Lucic's wife declined to testify in court and a judge ruled that her 911 call could not be used as evidence in the case as it failed to specifically identify the Bruins forward as the suspect.

The 911 dispatcher who took the call confirmed in court that the caller was never asked to provide her last name or identify Lucic by name.

When Lucic's wife called 911, she said "her husband" tried to strangle her. She later identified herself as Lucic's wife while meeting with officers in the lobby of their apartment building.

The defense also "debated the admissibility of the call without the ability to question the caller in court," according to Tenser, and the judge ultimately sided with the defense and blocked the 911 recording from being used as evidence.

Lucic has been on leave from the Bruins since being arrested in November on an assault and battery charge following an altercation at their Boston apartment.

The incident occurred after Lucic allegedly could not locate his cellphone following a night out in the city and began yelling and demanding that his wife give him the phone.

The 35-year-old's wife told him she did not have his phone and didn't know where it was. When she attempted to walk away, Lucic allegedly grabbed her hair, pulled her backward and said she "wasn't going anywhere."

Officers responding to the scene noted that Lucic appeared to be intoxicated. When they escorted him back to the apartment to retrieve some of his belongings, they observed a broken lamp in the bedroom and what appeared to be shards of glass on the floor. Per WCVB, when officers asked Lucic's wife if he had strangled her, she said he didn't, though they observed redness on her chest.

The Bruins said in a statement afterward that Lucic would be taking "an indefinite leave of absence" from the team. The organization also said at the time that the forward was entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program

Lucic hasn't played in a game since Oct. 21, but he wants to return to the NHL, and defense attorney Gary Pelletier expressed confidence that Friday's decision would make that possible, according to Tenser.

Pelletier added that Lucic intends to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

However, the Bruins said in a statement he will remain on leave from the team through the remainder of the 2023-24 season, according to Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald.

"Milan Lucic will remain on indefinite leave from the organization for the remainder of the 2023-24 season," the Bruins said in a statement. "The Boston Bruins organization supports Milan and his family as he continues his personal rehabilitation."

Lucic, who was a second-round pick by the Bruins in 2006, spent the first eight seasons of his career in Boston and won a Stanley Cup with the franchise in 2011.

The native Canadian had stints with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames before agreeing to a one-year deal to return to the Bruins ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. He had notched two assists in four games this season before going on leave.

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