Zdeno Chara Returns To Bruins Practice, But Will Not Return Against Hurricanes
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bruins captain Zdeno Chara returned to the ice for the team's morning skate on Thursday at the Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. But despite the defenseman's presence in practice, Claude Julien told reporters that Chara will not be in the lineup on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at the TD Garden.
Chara has sat out the past four games with a lower-body injury. He was hurt in the second period against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 22 and did not return.
No. 33 was not part of the Bruins' initial defensive pairings during practice. Brandon Carlo, Chara's usual defensive partner, was instead paired with Kevan Miller, as Chara acted as the seventh defenseman.
Big Zee's back on the ice pic.twitter.com/3KJs4M6FGI
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 1, 2016
Mike Loftus of The Patriot Ledger tweeted that Chara later participated in a drill next to Kevan Miller, his usual defensive partner for most of the 2015-16 season. Carlo shifted to a pairing with Adam McQuaid but reportedly did some penalty-killing work with Chara.
Elsewhere on the injury report, Bruins forward Noel Acciari also returned to the ice for Thursday's morning skate. Acciari has been out since Nov. 8 with a lower-body injury. He also was not part of the Bruins' lines during practice. Defenseman John-Michael Liles was not present at practice and remains sidelined indefinitely after suffering a concussion.