Bruins: Krejci and Chara Continue to Improve, Chiarelli Shops

Oct 25, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins center

(46) during their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Bruins beat the Maple Leafs 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Good news comes in small packages for the Bruins as they get word that David Krejci and Zdeno Chara continue to skate on their own back at the Garden. As Claude Julien spoke about the reports, he stated how it is ‘encouraging that they haven’t taken a step back’. Initially after Chara started skating General Manager Peter Chiarelli told reporters that his return would be between ten days and two weeks. This ruled out Chara travelling with the team, allowing him to focus on skating and continuing to rehabilitate the injured knee.

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Tentatively the return date for Zdeno Chara is December 11, a mere week away, making him eligible for lineup re-insertion against the Chicago Blackhawks. Not only would there be hype given the history between the two teams after the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, but toss in the return of the Bruins Captain and the media would have a field day. If he does in fact come back on the targeted date, Chara would have missed a total of seven weeks, despite being given a four-to-six week diagnosis.

David Krejci, who has been sidelined with an undisclosed lower-body injury. The injury has kept the Bruins top-line center out since November 18, making a total of 13 games he has missed thus far through the season, ten of them from the past month. It is believed that Krejci’s injury is related to one he sustained during the Bruins training camp. With Krejci resuming skating, there is light at the end of the tunnel. This means that, despite taking a step back a few weeks ago, Krejci has come around and is starting to improve. The Bruins can only hope that the return of Krejci and Chara could be simultaneous.

Peter Chiarelli Shops Around

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It has been no secret that the Bruins are in dire need of some sort of help to get things going offensively and to no surprise GM Peter Chiarelli has been spotted shopping around the NHL. Earlier this week it was reported that Chiarelli was attending the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning game, rumored to be checking out Chris Stewart as a tentative newcomer for the Black and Gold. After he was spotted there, it was also noted that Chiarelli made an appearance at the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks game. It is possible that the Blackhawks could trade the rights of a guy like Patrick Sharp or Bryan Bickell for some draft picks and prospects, it is also a possibility that the Blues could shop T.J. Oshie, all plausible for Boston. Regardless, scouting is being done meaning Chiarelli is ready to make some moves in an attempt to make the Bruins better. He clearly knew when he dealt Boychuk away that the team wouldn’t be better right away and without Chara and Krejci, the issue at hand grew twice as large.

It’s imperative to realize that the team we are watching night in and night out is likely not going to be the team Boston takes to the playoffs, providing they get a chance to compete. Chiarelli will add some size and depth to the right wing and look to gain a heavy defenseman that he can stick alongside Chara and Hamilton to bring back the Big and Bad vibe. While it is difficult to watch the Bruins go through yet another slump, we have to realize that what really matters is the team that comes to play in April and May to make the final push for the playoffs. That’s when they need to be on top of their game and ready to put everything on the table.