Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara isn't certain he'll be in the lineup when the team opens its season against the Dallas Stars on October 3rd. The 42-year-old told the media Friday that he's now eating normally after breaking his jaw in the Stanley Cup final against St. Louis during game four. However, he wants to be certain there is no setback or discomfort before committing to playing.
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This could be tough for the Bruins, who may be missing two other important pieces of their defense come opening night. Both Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo are restricted free agents who have not yet signed new deals for the upcoming season. While it's certain the Bruins hope to have everything sorted out before the season starts, there's no guarantee that will happen. The team currently has about $7.3 million in cap space, which is very unlikely to be enough to sign both those players.
Chara's jaw was broken in two places by a deflected puck. The injury required several pins to be placed in his face. Despite that, he returned for game five, logging 16 minutes of ice, scored a goal in game 6 and blocked a shot in Boston's game seven loss to the Blues.
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