BenFred: Blues greet Bruins captain Chara as hockey celebrates imminent return | Ben Frederickson

If Brady can poach Tom Seaver, Chara can steal Superman. The captain of the Bruins is the new man of steel.

On Thursday morning, it became clear that Chara, the 42-year-old skateboarder, planned to play against the Blues in the fifth game of the Stanley Cup final after a puck in the face. Eliminated from the fourth match.

But reports say that he has broken jaw!

And some journalists make fun of the concussion protocol!

If you are one to be concerned about player safety, it's the league that sent curator Gary Bettman to the podium for his state of the league talk without a concussion discussion point. . The NFL claims to be dealing with head injuries. The NHL simply ignores them.

The Bruins downplayed the importance of Chara's brain being injured by a puck that would have broken his jaw. They said that Chara was a game decision and that he should be approved by the doctors before he could play in the fifth match. They said that it would then be up to the player to decide.

The sense of hockey says that the Bruins will not take their captain off the ice if he is able to be on the ice, and the sense of hockey says there is no chance Chara will sit if he has his word to say.

It was Brayden Schenn's match 4 shot that bounced off Chara's stick and flew against his face, throwing enough blood on the ice to eliminate him before the game started again. But Chara returned to the bench later in this game, wearing a full shield on his face so he could be close to his teammates. He skated here at TD Garden on Thursday and wrote answers to questions about his concerns for his own safety. He said he was not afraid of aggravating a horrible injury while playing. He stated that he was no exception to the difference of other players willing to be uncomfortable on the ice if it allowed them to lift the Stanley Cup.

The Blues were as close as possible to the salvation of an opponent.

"He's a good competitor," said Pat Maroon. "He is 42 and still plays hockey. He has done a lot of work in this league and he has a lot of respect for the league. Any player who plays with a broken jaw speaks volumes about his character. "

"I think it does not surprise anyone," said Jay Bouwmeester. "You look at his reputation and the things he's been through during his career, he's a very respected guy. This does not surprise anyone. "

"Good for them," said David Perron, sincerely. "We want to play their best team possible – he's one of their good players out there – we would not be surprised if he played."

The exploits of Chara will be the story of the fifth match, unless the Blues impose a change of scenario. His presence on the ice will ignite this place. It's the story, but this post-season series, like all the series, is filled with chapters of compromised players going at full speed, the results being cursed.

Vince Dunn is back after taking a puck in the face earlier in the playoffs. Robert Thomas sustained a wrist injury for as long as possible before Boston's Torey Krug sent him on the board. Carl Gunnarsson wore a wrist pad during Thursday's interviews. Ryan O'Reilly has endured much of the pain in the playoffs. And these are just the wounds of which we are aware.

Matt Grzelcyk, Bruins defenseman Oskar Sundqvist, crashed into the boards in the second game. He was behind the microphone in the newsroom on Thursday morning.

He was asked if he had been allowed medically to play.

"I'm not really sure," he says. "Decision at the time of the match. Obviously, if I'm in the game, I'll be ready to play. "

At this time of the year, being ready is a rather relative term.