If the Bruins are going to squeak into the playoffs and steal a round, they’re going to have to try it without their No. 2 defenseman.

Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced some surprising news this morning. After sustaining an injury to his left wrist during the first period of the Bruins at Maple Leafs game on Saturday, April 3, defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will the next  miss eight weeks after undergoing successful surgery to repair a lacerated flexor carpi radialis tendon in his left forearm.

The surgery was performed by Drs. Matthew Leibman and Mark Belsky yesterday at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Since being acquired from Florida on the Mar. 3 trade deadline, Seidenberg has played in 17 games with the Bruins, recording 2-7–9 and plus-9 totals. On the season, the 6’1″ German native has played in 79 games with the B’s and Panthers, had registered 4-28–32 season totals, and leads the NHL in blocked shots with 215. His time on ice, including both power play and penalty-kill, will be sorely missed as well.

In sole possession of eighth-place in the Eastern Conference with 85 points, the Bruins have three regular season games remaining before the playoffs. They sit three-points ahead of the ninth-place New York Rangers, and just two-points behind the sixth-seed Montreal Canadiens.

The loss of Seidenberg certainly dampers the Bruins’ chances hopes to upset a Round One match-up, as Adam McQuaid is sure to see some added minutes to his new NHL career. But let’s just hope the impending free-agent, Seidenberg, uses this time off to sign a contract extension with the B’s.