Bruins without Chara, DeBrusk through Florida road trip

The Boston Bruins will be without defenseman Zdeno Chara and rookie winger Jake DeBrusk for Thursday's game versus the Florida Panthers as both players deal with upper-body injuries, head coach Bruce Cassidy announced.

Cassidy also said the duo will miss Saturday's marquee contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Bruins will also be without key players Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy due to injury.

Chara, 40, has been as reliable as ever this season, managing 23 points in 68 games while playing 23 minutes per night. DeBrusk, meanwhile, has been an important contributor in his rookie campaign, registering 14 goals and 25 assists so far.