It's not quite on par with the absolute dumpster fire of an ineffective, injury-marred campaign the Columbus Blue Jackets were forced to endure, but it sure seems like the Boston Bruins just can't seem to catch a break in recent days.
The formerly formidable franchise followed up on missing out on the NHL playoffs by two measly points - the first time they'd done so in the past nine seasons - by firing their long-time GM Peter Chiarelli.
With the season over and the major change enacted - Cam Neely and Charlie Jacobs wouldn't wait this long to fire head coach Claude Julien, would they? - it seemed time for Bruins fans to just head home and lick their wounds for a few months.
Sorry Bruins fans, but it won't be that easy.
According to the latest report, towering defenseman and team captain Zdeno Chara recently suffered a broken ankle.
"Bruins captain Zdeno Chara reportedly suffered a fractured ankle late in the regular season, an injury that will sideline him for the upcoming World Hockey Championships in the Czech Republic," reports Mike Halford of Pro HockeyTalk.
The 38-year-old - soon to be 39-year-old - Chara suffered through a difficult year this season. Despite sustaining a "permanently torn PCL," per CSN New England's Joe Haggerty, the Bruins captain returned and appeared in 63 games, finishing with eight goals, 12 assists and averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per night.
What is even more incredible about those totals is the fact that Chara seemed to suffer this latest ankle injury with three games left to play, then subsequently appeared in each of the remaining contests.
Talk about tough.
Chara has long been the glue that holds the Bruins back end together, but with the big Slovak rapidly approaching his 40th birthday and set to embark on his 18th NHL season, it's fair to wonder if the mounting injuries will soon spell an end to his professional ice hockey career.
Chara has three years remaining on his current contract with cap hits of $6.9 million, $6.9 million and $4 million, per Spotrac.com.
The entire Bruins team seemed to break down this season - star David Krejci dealt with nagging injuries and managed just 47 games and power forward Milan Lucic never looked quite right, posting statistical totals well below his normal levels - but it remains to be seen if it was simply an aberration or if Boston needs to tear their roster down and start anew.
Chara, perhaps more so than any Boston player, symbolizes the current iteration of Bruins hockey.
If he winds up elsewhere - or retired - it will be as much a figurative sign as a literal indication that Neely and Jacobs feel the franchise needs to start fresh and turn over a new NHL leaf.
