A broken finger has put Brett Connolly's debut with the Boston Bruins on hold.
The 22-year-old right winger from Prince George, acquired by the Bruins in a Monday trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, was injured in practice Wednesday when he was hit in the hand by a puck shot by Bruins defenceman Dennis Seidenberg.
The injury, to his right index finger, is expected to sideline Connolly for six weeks. The Bruins play their last regular-season game April 11 in Tampa, which means Connolly is unlikely to return to action until just before the playoffs begin.
Connolly is a former Prince George Cougars captain who played three full seasons with the Cats, from 2008-2011.
The Bruins sent their second-round draft pick in 2015 and a second-rounder in 2016 to the Lightning to acquire Connolly's rights. He was expected to join the Bruins' third line with centre Carl Soderberg and left winger Loui Eriksson.
In 50 games this season with the Lightning, Connolly had 12 goals, 15 points and 38 penalty minutes and had a plus/minus rating of plus-4. Drafted sixth overall by the Lightning in 2010, Connolly has 18 goals in his NHL career.
Connolly suffered a serious injury to his right hand when he was five years old when it got caught in a metal gate that accidentally slammed shut. That injury broke three bones and required multiple surgeries to repair.
