Injury Update: Jakub Lauko, Milan Lucic to Miss Multiple Games

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery announced that fourth-line wingers Milan Lucic (lower body) and Jakub Lauko (fracture) will each miss time. Lauko will be re-evaluated in one week, while Lucic will miss at least a couple weeks.

The Boston Bruins are facing some injury adversity early in the season, thinning the depth of their bottom-six forward group.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery announced Jakub Lauko (fracture) and Milan Lucic (lower body) will each be sidelined. Lauko will be re-evaluated in one week, while Lucic is expected to miss "a couple weeks" minimum.

Lauko’s fracture came during Tuesday’s 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The winger was down by the boards and got caught up high near his left eye by forward Jason Dickinson’s skate. Lauko immediately left the game bloodied, but Montgomery confirmed postgame that “nothing touched the eye” and he got stitched up.

“Jakub’s got, you know, a fracture and he’s going to be out at least a week until the swelling goes down. He gets re-evaluated in a week,” Montgomery said Thursday ahead of the Bruins’ 7 p.m. game against the Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden.

Lucic, who has missed the last two games with the same lower body injury, leaves another hole in the fourth line that was previously slotted him with Johnny Beecher and Lauko. 

While it’s unconfirmed if it was the exact play Lucic got injured on, it’s worth noting that the veteran forward took a Derek Forbort shot to the ankle on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings before sitting out of the following two matchups.

“‘Looch’ is going to be out a couple of weeks, too, with a lower body injury as well,” Montgomery said.

In Thursday’s pregame practice, Danton Heinen and Patrick Brown slotted in with Beecher. Heinen, who has practiced with the Bruins on a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO), is waiting for a contract, but there is no update on his status.

The injuries to Lucic and Lauko leave Boston with 11 forwards ahead of Thursday's game, but the Bruins expect to make a roster move to get back to 12, whether that involves Heinen or someone else.

"We got to do a couple of discussions. I don't have any news for you yet, but there will be a transaction," Montgomery said.

The Bruins face their first extended injury setbacks of the season, but they’ll have the home crowd to back them up after four games on the road where they improved to a 6-0-0 record.