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Brett Connolly 'Ready To Go,' May Make Bruins Debut Thursday

BOSTON (CBS) -- It's been nearly a month since the Boston Bruins acquired Brett Connolly, and the forward cannot wait to make his Bruins debut.

That debut has had to wait though, with Connolly breaking his right index finger in just his second practice with his new teammates. He had to undergo surgery, and put that debut on hold.

But that wait may be ending soon, as Connolly was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. The 22-year-old skated with Boston's fourth line and on the second power play unit, and he hopes to play Thursday night when the Bruins pay a visit to the Detroit Red Wings.

"Everybody is banged up right now, so I feel good enough to go. I don't think the finger can get worse, so I'm ready to go," Connolly told reporters at the Bruins practice facilities on Wednesday.

Given how the injury has kept him from playing on his new team, in the middle of a playoff chase, Connolly is very anxious to join in on the fun.

"It'€™s been a hard three weeks, not being around the guys on the road and just little things like that, that for a new guy coming in, it'€™s tough," he said. "But the guys have been great to me coming in here. I'€™m as comfortable as I'€™ll ever be and I'€™m excited to get in and help the team win."

Boston acquired Connolly, the No. 6 overall pick in 2010, from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a pair of second-round picks in 2015 and 2016. Bruins head coach Claude Julien told reporters he hasn't decided if Connolly will debut on Thursday, or where the forward will line up when he does hit the ice.

But Connolly just wants to play some hockey for his new team, so it won't matter where Claude tells him to play.

"For me, I'€™m just looking to come in here and help the team win,"€ he said. "€œWherever they put me, that'€™s where I'€™ll be."

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