Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Bruins’ Horton: “I’m not even worried about my head”

Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins

BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 03: Nathan Horton #18 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal in the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 3, 2011 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Nathan Horton has put his concussion issues behind him.

“I’m not even worried about my head. Or being in contact. Or getting in a fight,” the Bruins forward told CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty. “I feel better than I have in a long, long time.”

When Horton says a long time, he means a long time.

The 27-year-old winger has been dealing with concussion issues ever since Game 3 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals, when he was crushed by then-Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome.

Horton missed the final four games of the series, but was able to recover in time to begin the 2011-12 season, posting 32 points in 46 games.

Then, more issues.

On Jan. 22, Horton was on the receiving end of a headshot from Philadelphia’s Tom Sestito which resulted in a second concussion in seven months -- one that shut Horton down for good.

He missed Boston’s final 36 games of the regular season and the entire opening round of the playoffs.

But in July, things turned around -- Horton was cleared for contact and was expected to be ready for training camp (which, given everybody’s bright-eyed “there won’t be a lockout!” optimism, was supposed to start in September.)

In November, Horton’s agent informed reporters that his client was “ready to go.”

Today, Horton confirmed the diagnosis.

"[I] had a lot of time to work out and get back to normal,” he explained. “All summer I had no issues.

“I’m just excited to get going. It’s nice to be around the guys.”