Chara may not be ready for start of season

Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara isn't certain he'll be in the lineup for the team's first regular-season game on Oct. 3.

"I'm not sure," Chara said, according to The Boston Globe's Matt Porter. "I think I should be, but it's a process of making sure there are no setbacks or any discomfort."

The 42-year-old suffered a broken jaw when he took a deflected puck to the face during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues. Chara had plates and screws inserted in his mouth but, incredibly, didn't miss a game. He also had surgery after the playoffs to remove loose bodies in his elbow.

Chara said his offseason training was postponed by "six, seven weeks, with all the surgeries I had and all the rehab I had to go through."

"I'm still recovering, still working at being full strength," he said.

The towering defenseman is entering his 22nd NHL season and 14th with the Bruins. He contributed five goals and 14 points in 62 contests in 2018-19.