What's Next for #91?

Yesterday, I made a post about the ramifications of Marc Savard's recent head injury on the Boston Bruins lineup. In the first game with the new combinations, the B's dropped a 2-0 decision to the LA Kings. And unfortunately for the black and gold, the loss against LA wasn't the worst loss of the night.

It was officially reported last night that Marc Savard sustained another concussion -- the medical staff deeming this one "moderate" -- as a result of the hit he took from Matt Hunwick over the weekend. It isn't the severe concussion he received from Matt Cooke, and David Krejci did only miss a few games earlier this season with what was also considered a moderate concussion. But it's so much different for Savard, who had only gotten 25 games under his belt before hitting the injury report once again. It's daring and bold to suggest such a horrific outcome, but is there even a next step for Marc Savard at this point?

I wouldn't go as far as to say this injury might end his career, but you certainly have to worry. The last concussion, for all intents and purposes, took nearly a year to fully recover from. During the rehab, Savard was diagnosed with depression and had considered the prospect of retiring from the game he no longer felt as connected to. The temporary change of heart was gone once he got back into the locker room with his teammates, though, and Savard gained more and more confidence with each game that passed since his December 2nd return to the lineup. He amassed 2 goals and 8 assists in his 25 games of action, but it was clear he was getting his bearings back lately.

These head injuries can get real serious, real quick. It might even be the best option, as James Murphy of ESPN suggested this morning, for the Bruins and Savard to mutually agree on the forward spending the rest of the season on IR. This thing has been lagging, and if rushed back one more time, he would be in danger of career-threatening injuries without question. But who is really to say it isn't already at the career-threatening level? He had questioned his motive to rehabilitate himself last time -- it can't be a whole lot better this time around. We obviously hope that Savard chooses to stay, work hard, rehab himself, and get back to the level he once was as an elite playmaker in the NHL. He's still got plenty of years left on that contract to do so.

Until further notice, though, Boston must proceed as if Savard is a nonfactor for an extended period of time. We'll have to see if the new line combinations work. Julien moved Horton to the wing with Seguin late in the game against LA -- we'll see if he's trying spark the two newcomers this season in a dynamic duo up front.