Spooner (groin) is slated to practice Tuesday, the Boston Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Spooner, who is bouncing back from a right groin adductor tear, last suited up for a game on Oct.15, but his imminent return to practice suggests that the speedy forward is inching toward a return to action. Added clarity on that front should arrive Tuesday, but with Brad Marchand also set to return to practice, it looks as though the Bruins banged-up forward corps will benefit from reinforcements sooner rather than later.

Spooner (groin) was placed on injured reserve Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

The speedy center is looking at a 4-to-6 week absence due to the injury, which he was apparently playing through prior to aggravating it Sunday. With Spooner out, Sean Kuraly will assume third-line duties for at least the near future and will give the unit a much more physical complexion.

Spooner will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks due to a right groin adductor tear.

EDGE Analysis

Spooner was already having a rough start to the season offensively, notching a single assist and four shots on goal in five games, so this news just makes matters worse for his owners, who were likely already searching for better alternatives at forward. With Spooner sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Bruins may opt to recall Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson from AHL Providence to add some depth down the middle.

Spooner (lower body) had to leave Sunday's contest against Vegas, and did not return.

EDGE Analysis

While the severity of the 25-year-old's lower-body injury is still unknown, he exited in the middle of the second period and was kept out as a precaution. With Patrice Bergeron (lower body) still out and Boston's center depth thin, look for Sean Kuraly to take Spooner's role on the third line. The earliest Spooner could return would be Thursday against Vancouver.

Spooner is slated to center the team's top line for Opening Night against Nashville on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

With Boston's bona fide No. 1 centerman Patrice Bergeron out through a lower-body injury, the mercurial Spooner will assume his role for at least the beginning of Monday's tilt. It will be interesting to see how Brad Marchand responds to playing with Spooner, who unlike Marchand's long-time running mate Bergeron, has often been criticized for playing on the perimeter and not being strong enough on the puck. That said, Spooner is a great skater and passer of the puck, so he could flourish playing alongside more talented players than he is used to.

Spooner indicates that he has bulked up in advance of the coming season, CSN New England's Joe Haggerty reports. "I was 182 or 183 pounds [last season] and now I'm up to 192 [pounds], so hopefully that can help me out in the corners and on the compete side of things," Spooner noted.

EDGE Analysis

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old forward relayed that in addition to adding some weight to his 5-foot-10 frame, that he's kept up with his skating and cardio work, with an eye toward maintaining his on-ice speed. After an offseason in which there was speculation that Spooner may be moved by the Bruins, he's currently the favorite to start the season as the team's third-line center. Spooner's wheels and solid puck skills have been assets to the B's in the past, notably on the power play, but he's never been known as the grittiest forward. He's hoping that by adding strength he'll see more positive results on face-offs and on the defensive end. Coming off a 2016-17 season in which he logged 11 goals and 39 points over 78 games, Spooner is a bounce-back candidate, assuming he does indeed claim a top-nine/PP role. Youngster Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson could challenge Spooner for a spot in the middle in training camp, but there's a solid chance he'll see some time in the AHL before graduating to full-time NHL duty.

Spooner has agreed to a one-year, $2.825 deal with the Bruins, CSN New England reports.

EDGE Analysis

In doing so, the 25-year-old forward avoided arbitration, inking a deal within the Bruins' financial comfort zone. The 2010 second-rounder brings speed and solid puck skills to the table, traits that make him an asset in man-advantage situations. Still, his overall numbers in 2016-17 (11/28/39 over 78 games) were somewhat disappointing and given that he's not known for stellar work on the defensive end, there had been speculation that the Bruins might look to deal Spooner in order to pave the way for Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson to move into the team's third-line center job. While it's possible that Spooner could be moved down the road, he'll look to retain a key role up front for Boston and if power play time is in his 2017-18 job description, he'll posses a degree of fantasy utility this coming season.

Spooner and the Bruins are off by $1.85 million in regards to a new contract, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reports.

EDGE Analysis

Spooner's last deal carried an AAV of $950,000, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he is looking for a significant pay bump heading into the 2017-18 campaign. After tallying 11 goals and 28 helpers in 2016-17, it is hard to argue against paying up for the center -- although the terms of the 25-year-old's deal will likely impact how much Boston has to shell out for fellow restricted free agent David Pastrnak. Considering only two arbitration filings have actually made it to a hearing -- both of which were settled prior to a ruling -- the odds are in favor of the two sides bridging the divide in the coming days.

Spooner has filed for salary arbitration, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

There's been plenty of speculation that Spooner could be moved ahead of the 2017-18 season, but the Bruins still opted to extend him a qualifying offer at the end of June to keep his rights. Spooner, however, will file for arbitration instead of agreeing to the qualifying offer, with the hope of arguing his way to a higher salary in front of a third-party arbiter. A hearing should be set for late-July, although the two sides can still negotiate an extension in the meantime. Spooner played in 78 games for the Bruins this past season, notching 11 goals and 39 points.

The Bruins have extended a qualifying offer to Spooner, CSN New England reports.

EDGE Analysis

While it remains to be seen whether Spooner is in the Bruins' long-term plans, the team has predictably retained his rights after protecting him in the recent NHL Expansion Draft. There's plenty of speculation that the 25-year-old forward will be moved in advance of the 2017-18 season and we suspect there will be a fair degree of interest in Spooner, who brings speed and a knack for playmaking to the table. The 2010 second-rounder is coming off a 2016-17 campaign in which he recorded 11 goals and 39 points in 78 games for the Bruins.