Projo Bruins Blog

Bruins captain Joe Thornton practiced with the club this morning in Wilmington and showed no ill effects. He said afterwards that it is the best he has felt in a while and could be in the lineup against Buffalo. It will all depend on how he feels tomorrow morning.

Thornton returned from the team's recent six-game road trip last week with a strained back. He and physical therapist, Scott Waugh, has been working hard over the last week with massage and stretching exercises.

"We've been hitting it hard the last week," said Thornton. "And, it has really come around."

Today was the first day he has really pushed himself on the ice and said he felt good after practice. How he feels tomorrow, however, will be the gauge if he plays.

"Right now it feels pretty good," he said. "Hopefully, I'll be able to play tomorrow night."

When Thornton returned from the road his back was in rough shape. The captain admitted this morning that it started to feel better on Sunday, Tuesday it felt "great and today it feels even better."

He also said that the back if pretty loose and he doesn't feel any stiffness.

Two seasons ago, Thornton said in an interview with a Canadian television station that his back was so sore he was considering retirement. Now that the back has sidelined him again, the question came up after today's practice.

"Last year (in Switzerland) my back felt great," he said. "Ever since training camp my back has been sore, but working with the trainers here, they said If I stay on a program I should be good for the rest of the year. . . I was just frustrated at the time (two years ago)with all the holding and hooking in the league. Obviously, this year there is a big change. My back was really hurting back then, but now it is better and that is all that matters."

Waugh told Thornton that this shouldn't be - and doesn't have to be - an issue for the rest of his career. As long as Thornton continues to work on a program, he should be fine.

Watching the games from home did help matters much, but Thornton is anxious to get back out there.

"You want to be out there helping the guys out," he said. "Seeing a tough loss like (Tuesday) night, you want to be out there helping out. Hopefully tomorrow night I can help."

Here's hoping.

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