33 Zdeno Chara D

Chara (elbow) isn't sure if he'll be ready for the Bruins' Oct. 3 regular-season opener against the Stars, Matt Porter of The Boston Globe reports.

When asked about his availability for Opening Night, Chara told Porter "I think I should be, but it's a process of making sure there are no setbacks or any discomfort." Chara underwent multiple surgeries following Boston's lengthy postseason run, so it's not exactly surprising to see that he's still ailing at this point in the offseason. The 42-year-old vet will likely be limited throughout the Bruins' training camp and preseason schedule, but it sounds like he shouldn't miss much, if any, regular-season action.

Chara will have a procedure on his elbow to clean up loose fragments, per GM Don Sweeney.

Add an elbow issue to the assortment of aches and pains Chara now has the offseason to recover from. It was previously confirmed that the big blueliner played through multiple fractures in his jaw during the Stanley Cup Finals. Monday's announcement of Chara's upcoming elbow procedure was not accompanied by a recovery timetable, but we suspect that he should be at or close to full health by the time training camp rolls around. At 42 years of age, Chara -- who logged five goals and 14 points in 62 games this past season -- has lost a step and rarely sees power-play duty. As a result, he's no longer the fantasy factor that he was during his prime, but the 6-foot-9, 250-pounder maintains top-shelf shutdown ability and his leadership is a key element to the Bruins' team chemistry, which from all accounts was outstanding this past season.

Chara acknowledged Friday that he played through multiple fractures in his jaw during the Stanley Cup Finals.

It was widely assumed that Chara suffered a broken jaw in Game 4 of the Bruins' series versus the Blues, but predictably official confirmation of his injury didn't arrive until the team's end-of-season media availability Friday. Chara's recovery timeline is five-to-six weeks, meaning he'll be back to full strength well before the Bruins take the ice again. The 42-year-old will be back with Boston next season on a team-friendly, one-year, $2 million deal. At this stage of his career, the B's captain -- who logged five goals and 14 points in 62 games this past season -- isn't much of a fantasy factor, with power-play duty now scarce for the hard-shooting blueliner. Still, Chara's strong shut-down ability is intact and his intangibles are top shelf, starting with his outstanding leadership, fitness and obviously his toughness, given what he just played through.

Chara scored an empty-net goal and dished three hits in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Blues in Game 6.

The blueliner continues to battle a broken jaw, but he hasn't shied away from physicality with seven hits in two games since the injury. For the playoffs, Chara has two goals and six points in 22 contests.

Chara (jaw) will play in Thursday's Game 5 matchup with the Blues, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports.

Chara was a game-time decision, but it seems he's healthy enough to play Thursday. The blueliner was spotted with a chin protector in Thursday's morning skate but won't have his jaw wired shut, Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston reports. Head coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned he is leaning towards rolling with seven defensemen for Game 5, which could keep John Moore and/or Steve Kampfer from having to watch from the press box.

Chara (jaw) is a game-time call for Thursday's Game 5 clash with St. Louis.

Chara hit the ice for the game-day skate sporting a chin protector and regular sweater. The towering blueliner's inclusion in the lineup would be a huge win for Boston, as it looks to take a critical Game 5. If the veteran does suit up, he may play slightly less than his 21:56 postseason average, but should be a factor thanks to his shut-down ability. If Chara and Matt Grzelcyk (concussion) are both available, John Moore and Steve Kampfer will probably find themselves relegated to the press box.

Chara suffered a broken jaw during Monday's Game 4 loss to the Blues, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports.

Although the Bruins have yet to release an official update on Chara's status for Thursday's game, it seems highly unlikely that he'll be available just three days after suffering a broken jaw, even with the added protection of a full face shield. If Chara is in fact sidelined for Game 5, Steve Kampfer will likely draw into the lineup for just the third time this postseason.

Chara will have to undergo further testing after taking a puck to the mouth in Monday's Game 4 loss to the Blues -- in the meantime his status for Game 5 remains undetermined, Conor Ryan the Boston Sports Journal reports.

Look for more updates to come in the next day or so as Chara undergoes testing ahead of Thursday's Game 5 in Boston. The defenseman suffered the injury with just over three minutes left in the second period; though he returned to the team's bench in the third with a reinforced shield, he did not take the ice the entire third period after being advised by team doctors.

Chara posted an assist, two hits and two blocked shots in Monday's 4-2 win over the Blues in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

There was concern after a block cut him on his wrist, but Chara said after the game he was fine, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. The veteran defenseman has managed a goal and three assists in 17 postseason games, transitioning mostly to a defensive role alongside Charlie McAvoy on the top pairing.

Chara (undisclosed) will be in Boston's lineup when it takes on St. Louis in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday, Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports.

Chara sat out the final game against Carolina but will be good to go Monday, having had plenty of time to rest. Despite the positive news, Chara's three points in 16 games make him easily ignorable from a fantasy standpoint.

Chara (undisclosed) will play in Thursday night's scrimmage without any restrictions, Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston reports.

Chara's return to practice Monday hinted that his absence from last Thursday's series-clinching win over the Hurricanes was largely precautionary. The fact that he'll suit up for simulated game action a week later in unhindered fashion means that the Bruins' captain will be out there for Monday night's Stanley Cup Finals opener against the Blues. With power-play time for Chara rare these days, he's logged a modest total of three points in 16 postseason games, but his plus-11 rating leads the league to date and his leadership is an essential element to the Bruins' team chemistry.

Chara (undisclosed) practiced Monday.

The big blueliner was paired with Charlie McAvoy on Monday and is thus on track to be a go for next Monday's Stanley Cup Final opener. Chara sat out this past Thursday's series-clinching win over the Hurricanes, but his quick return to the ice hints that his absence in that game may have been precautionary.

Chara skated on his own but did not practice with the team Sunday, Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston reports.

With Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals scheduled for May 27, there's little to suggest Chara won't be ready to lace his skates up once Boston's opponent has been confirmed. Even when he does return to the ice, the towering blueliner offers very little fantasy value and should only be relevant in deeper leagues.

Chara (undisclosed) is expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, Joe McDonald of The Athletic reports.

Chara was held out of Game 4 against the Hurricanes with an undisclosed injury, though the issue doesn't appear to be all that serious. He'll have at least a few days to rest as the Bruins await the winner of St. Louis vs. San Jose.

Chara (undisclosed) will not play in Thursday's Game 4 matchup with the Hurricanes.

Chara's absence comes as a surprise so close to puck drop. No information has been released about the nature of the 42-year-old's injury, leading some to speculate that the team is simply giving Chara rest. Regardless, the Bruins list their captain as day-to-day and more information should surface over the next few days.

Chara slapped home the game-winning goal in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Maple Leafs in Game 4.

Chara has a lot of experience scoring points against Toronto in the playoffs. Over the 18 postseason games he has played against the Maple Leafs as a member of the Bruins, Chara has scored 12 points -- his highest point-per-game rate against any team in the playoffs since he came to Boston.

Chara (rest) will rejoin the action for Saturday's regular-season finale versus the Lightning.

Chara sat out Thursday's contest for rest purposes, but he'll get back in for a tune-up game ahead of the playoffs. The veteran has tallied a career-low 14 points this season thanks to minimal time on the power play, so he'll be much less of a factor in playoff fantasy pools than he typically has been.

Chara will not play Thursday night against the Wild.

Chara will get some well-deserved rest ahead of the playoffs Thursday, as will David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Chris Wagner. The 42-year-old has notched just five goals and 14 points in 61 games this season, but even as he slows down offensively, Chara retains shut-down ability on the defensive side of things.

Chara scored a goal and added an assist in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Panthers.

The 42-year-old is no longer a fantasy force -- the goal was just his fifth and his first since Feb. 18 (15 games). But Chara is a key cog on the Bruins' blue line and will be a critical player in their run for the Cup.

Chara signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension that includes an additional $1.75 million in incentives, Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston reports.

Even though Chara is 42 years old, his tremendous conditioning allows him to keep chugging along for the Bruins. Naturally, long gone are the days of the towering blueliner tipping a half-point-per-game average, but as noted by Haggerty, Chara remains a high-quality shutdown type. He's collected 11 points (four goals, seven assists) through 55 games this season, and the Czech usually finishes with double-digit hit and blocked shot totals on an annual basis.