Frank Vatrano has yet to suit up for the Boston Bruins this season, but he took another step this week toward changing that.
He reportedly skated on Tuesday for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his foot after he suffered an injury during offseason training.
He was initially expected to miss at least three months as a result of the injury, but there could be a light approaching quicker than anyone thought on the horizon.
Given he’s resumed skating, it’s likely that Vatrano is a few weeks away from being able to rejoin practicing with the team and could be looking at a 2 ½ month return to game action from injury rather than the three month timetable initially set out for him. In essence, Vatrano might be able to return prior to Christmas when it was initially assumed he’d be out for the 2016 portion of the 2016-17 regular season.
This is promising news for the Bruins, who are among the bottom third of the league when it comes to scoring, with 2.44 goals-for per game.
Vatrano has been a prolific scorer at the American Hockey League level, with 36 goals in 36 games last season in Providence. That’s a ridiculous rate and he has shown glimpses that his prowess could carry over to the NHL.
The 22-year-old forward had eight goals in 39 games in Boston last season, which included a hat trick in December against the Penguins.