BOSTON — Regardless of who was and was not medically cleared to play, the Boston Bruins were going to be in an unenviable position.
Zdeno Chara is dealing with a jaw issue suffered in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, while Matt Grzelcyk has been in concussion protocol since sustaining the head injury in Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues.
According to roster sheets handed out shortly before the game (and head coach Bruce Cassidy’s comments), it appears Chara is good to go for Game 5 on Thursday night, while Grzelcyk will sit. Furthermore, Steven Kampfer will dress, while David Backes will sit.
Line rushes in warmups had the Bruins skating these pairs:
Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo
John Moore-Connor Clifton
Steven Kampfer
This approach from Cassidy is the prudent, and correct, one.
We don’t know what Chara will be able to give. While his mouth reportedly isn’t wired shut, it’s not a slam dunk that he won’t be impacted in at least some capacity by the ailment.
In dressing seven defensemen, Cassidy gives himself a little bit of a cushion if Chara really starts laboring. Truthfully, not taking such an approach would be borderline irresponsible.
Having Kampfer as the seventh guy allows the Bruins to lighten Chara’s load a little bit if need be. They can still use Chara in penalty kill situations (arguably where he’s needed most), then not push him as much in 5-on-5. Whether or not they need to take that approach obviously remains to be seen, but they’re at least giving themselves the flexibility to do so.
Though dressing seven D could give off the vibe of desperation, it’s hard to really see it as such. The value Kampfer provides, even as a security blanket, outweighs what Backes has been able to provide this series. Presumably, the Bruins will be able to double shift David Pastrnak and Marcus Johansson, which might even be able to provide a little bit of a boost for the struggling second line.
No matter who fills what role, one thing is clear: It’s incredible Chara is giving this a shot.
