(Photo Credit: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

By Mike Cratty                                                         Twitter: @Mike_Cratty

After the news of David Backes being out for 3-4 weeks with diverticulitis and Patrice Bergeron’s status being a little cloudy, this is tough news for Bruins fans to hear. According to multiple reports, Boston Bruins forward Noel Acciari will miss approximately the next six weeks after having surgery on his left index finger in which he fractured in the season opener against Nashville this past Thursday.

Acciari is a buzzsaw on the ice, so the physical presence and energy he brings to the lineup will be missed over the next six weeks. After being sent down late last season, Acciari came back up to the Bruins with a new energy and his impact on the ice became much more noticeable. Acciari was one of the forwards I was looking forward to watching the most because of that new energy, he looked like a completely different player in my eyes. Now I, amongst others, will have to wait.

Last season, Acciari tallied two goals and three assists in 29 games and added a goal in four playoff games. He did not record a point on Thursday. The former Providence College Friar captain and national champion did enough to earn himself a two-year extension over the summer with his restricted free-agent status and has proven to be a pretty solid bottom-six forward.

With Backes and Acciari out for weeks to come, it will be interesting to see who will earn ice time in their absences and who will stick. The injury bug isn’t being kind to the Boston Bruins to start the 2017-2018 season.