The Boston Bruins could have a different looking top-line against the Maple Leafs on Monday. As Joe Haggerty of CSNNE mentioned, David Backes was missing from the Bruins’ morning practice due to feeling “under the weather” and is a game-time decision Monday. Another report from the Boston Globe confirms this, but also states that Backes “should be good to play.”
In Backes’ place at the team’s morning skate alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand was Jimmy Hayes. While it isn’t ideal to play Hayes in such a significant role, this is nothing new for Bergeron and Marchand.