After initial reports suggested only a minor injury, the Boston Bruins revealed today that stalwart defenseman, team captain and generally towering human being, Zdeno Chara, has suffered ligament damage in his knee and will miss four to six weeks.
The team announced that Chara, who suffered the injury in the first period of yesterday's loss to the New York Islanders, tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The injury leaves the Bruins with a massive hole - both literally and figuratively - to fill on the back end.
"He's an irreplaceable player," forward Chris Kelly said, via Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe. "He plays every situation for us and he's our leader. We're going to need to fill that void collectively as a group. Not just one guy is going to be able to do that."
Chara played only 4:13 of ice time and five shifts before entering the dressing room.
According to Shinzawa, it's not entirely clear when Chara suffered the injury, but many believe it occurred when Chara collided with Islanders star John Tavares in his own end. Tavares seemed to take the worst of the hit, ending up on his backside, but it turns out that Chara will suffer most in the long run.
Chara stayed on the ice after a TV timeout and even attempted to start his next shift. But shortly thereafter he left the ice and did not return.
The Bruins eventually succumbed to the Islanders and head coach Claude Julien was not happy about either loss after the game.
"When you lose your captain and one of your better defensemen, there's no doubt it's going to have an effect on your team," said Julien. "We showed in the third that we were able to handle it. That's my perspective on it. You're going to lose guys during the season. Those things happen. How you react to it and how you respond is what's important."
Ironically, Chara was injured the same night that defenseman Johnny Boychuck, who the Bruins traded away to the Islanders in the offseason, made his return to TD Garden.
In Chara's absence, the Bruins have reportedly called up blue liners Zach Trotman and Joe Morrow from AHL affiliate, Providence.
Trotman, 24, has appeared in two career NHL games with Boston, and Morrow, 21, a former first round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has yet to make his NHL debut, according to NBCSports.