Calgary Flames forward Lance Bouma is enduring quite a painful season - literally.
After sitting out over two months with broken leg, Bouma is nursing a lower-body injury that will sideline him "a few weeks," coach Bob Hartley told the team's website on Tuesday. Bouma suffered the injury after being cut by a skate during Calgary's 5-4 setback to the Pacific Division-rival San Jose Sharks on Monday.
Signed to a three-year, $6.6 million contract extension in July, Bouma had high hopes for this season after recording career highs in goals (16), assists (18) and points (34) in 2014-15. The 25-year-old Alberta native also led all Flames forwards in blocked shots (82) last season and finished with a positive plus-minus rating (plus-10) for the first time in his career.
What a dreadful season for a good kid in Lance Bouma. That hard play hard really caught up with him this season #Flames
— Roger Millions (@RogMillions) January 12, 2016
This season went in the wrong direction in a hurry for Bouma, who suffered a broken leg during the third contest of the season following a hit from St. Louis Blues forward Ryan Reaves. The physical forward returned to the lineup on Dec. 22 against the Winnipeg Jets and was able to stay healthy for eight games.
Bouma scored an empty-net goal in Calgary's 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning for his lone point of the season. A third-round selection in the 2008 draft, Bouma has recorded 23 tallies and 31 assists in 210 career contests - all with the Flames.
