Dougie Hamilton Injury: Updates on Bruins Defenseman's Status and Return

The Boston Bruins are in a fight for their playoff lives but will be forced to push forward without the services of star defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who has been ruled out indefinitely.     

Continue for updates.

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Hamilton Not Traveling on Road Trip

Tuesday, April 7

The Bruins official Twitter feed reported that Hamilton is not traveling on the team's road trip, per head coach Claude Julien.

Peter Chiarelli replied to news that Hamilton has broken ribs, telling Amalie Benjamin of The Boston Globe that it wasn't entirely right, but "in or around there."

Chiarelli later told Benjamin that there's a chance that Hamilton could return before the end of the season.

On April 1, NESN's Zack Cox reported that Boston Celtics player and fellow Toronto native Kelly Olynyk may have an inside scoop on the nature of Hamilton's ailment:

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“I was texting Dougie Hamilton, and he told me that he broke his ribs and he was trying to come back before the playoffs. And I was like, ‘Man, I can’t sit out. He’s going to rip me.’ … All those hockey guys would kill me, so I had to do it.”

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Hamilton Ruled Out Indefinitely

Tuesday, March 24

Boston.com passed along news from Claude Julien that Hamilton has been ruled out indefinitely.

On March 22, Hamilton missed the team's game vs. Tampa Bay.

At that time, Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com heard that Hamilton could have a significant shoulder injury:

Losing Hamilton at any point in the season is less than ideal, but it is even worse during the stretch run. Boston is battling for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the red-hot Ottawa Senators and is very much in danger of missing out.

Hamilton has enjoyed a spectacular year with 42 points, which is second on the team behind Patrice Bergeron's 51.  

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