NHL notebook: Bruins' Chara reportedly has broken jaw

[June 05, 2019]  Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara sustained a broken jaw when hit in the face by a puck in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

However, the Bruins continue to list the 42-year-old captain's status as undecided. The best-of-seven championship series between the Bruins and the St. Louis Blues is tied at 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Thursday night in Boston.

Chara's face was bloodied when he was struck by the puck Monday in Boston's 4-2 loss at St. Louis.

Chara was injured by the deflected puck early in the second period, and he did not return to the ice. He did rejoin the bench in the third period, lending support to his teammates while wearing a full shield on his helmet and despite being "very uncomfortable," according to Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy.

--Marc Crawford, the former NHL head coach who led the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup title in 1996, was hired as an assistant on the Chicago Blackhawks' coaching staff.

The 58-year-old Crawford, who most recently spent three seasons on the Ottawa Senators' staff and was their interim coach at the end of the 2017-18 season, will work with 34-year-old Jeremy Colliton, who is now the youngest coach in the league. The Blackhawks also have two other assistants -- Sheldon Brookbank and Tomas Mitell -- who are 38 years old.

Colliton and the Blackhawks undoubtedly will rely on the experience of Crawford, who was also a head coach with the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars and has a 246-189-62-32 record.

Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) celebrates with left wing Marcus Johansson (90) and defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) after scoring on St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) during the first period in game four of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

--The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goaltender Veini Vehvilainen to a two-year entry level contract.

Vehvilainen was the team's sixth-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft. Playing with Karpat in Finland's top league in 2018-19, Vehvilainen posted a 25-8-5 record, a 1.58 goals-against average, a .933 save percentage and six shutouts in 38 games, leading the league in those categories.

The 22-year-old has a 64-30-21 record with a 1.83 GAA, .926 save percentage and 13 shutouts in 119 career games in Finland's first-tier Liiga.

--Field Level Media

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