Zdeno Chara gave fans a positive sign when he was on the ice with the Boston Bruins for their morning skate on Thursday, but the team remains uncertain if he will be able to play in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Chara, who was wearing a mask to protect his injured jaw, skated for a while and took part in some drills. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters the 42-year-old is a game-time decision, and whether or not he plays will be up to him if doctors clear him.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk will be game-time decisions. Doctors have to clear Chara first. If that happens, it will be his decision if he plays pic.twitter.com/7uSKTgrP1e
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) June 6, 2019
If Chara gets clearance, it would be shocking if he chose not to play. Brad Marchand said the captain wanted to return to Game 4 after taking a puck to the face in the second period, but doctors wouldn’t allow it. That may have had more to do with concussion concerns, but Cassidy says Chara passed those tests.
Cassidy said the initial concern was a concussion for Chara. He doesn’t have that.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) June 6, 2019
The Bruins could end up without two key defensemen in Game 5 Thursday night, as Matt Grzelcyk is also still questionable after he sustained a concussion on an illegal check in Game 2. With the series tied 2-2, both players will likely do everything they can to get cleared.
