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BOSTON -- After skating on his own for a few days, Bruins forward Chris Kelly participated in the Bruins’ morning skate on Thursday and is confident he can return from a broken tibia soon.

“It’s been good,” Kelly said of the recovery process. “Obviously hard work but it’s been good. I never really had a timetable to be honest. It just depends on how you feel. Every day you come in and if you feel good you put pressure on a little more and if you feel worse, then you scale back. It’s felt better and better every day which is good. I’m trying to push myself as hard as I can go and I skated by myself for a few days and today was the first day with the guys so I’m just going to keep pushing it and pushing it until I’m back playing.”

The plan now is for Kelly to keep skating with the team. He will not play tonight against New Jersey but will travel with the team to Montreal this weekend for their game Saturday against the Canadiens.

Kelly has been out since March 11 when he collided knee-on-knee with Senators tough guy and a former teammate of Kelly’s Chris Neil. It has been a frustrating season for Kelly to say the least. After scoring a career-high 20 goals last season, the solid two-way forward has struggled with only two goals in 23 games. He's also struggled in his own end, where he is depended on for his defensive game. Heading into that game March 11 though, Kelly had just scored his second goal of the season, snapping a six-game stretch without a goal and he seemed to be turning a corner. He was asked where his frustration level was at now after suffering the injury and missing the last 12 games?

“You never want to get hurt but things happen for a reason,” Kelly said. “It could’ve been much worse and done for the rest of the year or even worse. But it wasn’t as bad as maybe I originally thought it was when I was laying on the ice. I’m happy that I will have an opportunity to come back.”

BOSTON -- It doesn’t matter what line combinations Bruins coach Claude Julien creates, or which players he has on special teams, there’s no replacing Patrice Bergeron.

The Bruins forward suffered a moderate concussion during Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. He’s ranked as the best faceoff man in the league, and can be considered one of the best penalty killers, too.

Along with Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Jay Pandolfo, David Krejci will be added to the mix on the PK.

“We’ve got other guys,” Julien said. “You’ll probably see David Krejci in there. David’s been a penalty killer for us in the past, and since we had lots of penalty killers, we held him back a little bit because a lot of times we’ll come back with his line after we kill, but we need him right now.”

Krejci attends all the meetings for both the penalty kill and the power play. Newly acquired forward Kaspars Daugavins can also kill penalties.

"We’re OK in that department, but you don’t replace Patrice that easily, especially when it comes to faceoffs,” Julien said.

Julien spoke with Bergeron and said he was in good spirits.

"He sounded positive and he sounded good,” Julien said. “Again, you never know with those things, you really never know. Guys have taken a step back, some guys have progressed quicker than others. It’s really a tough thing to predict, as far as how long.”

BOSTON -- With the subtraction of Patrice Bergeron (concussion) from the Boston Bruins’ lineup, coach Claude Julien decided to keep Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand together, and add newly acquire winger Jaromir Jagr to that line.

With Bergeron out, Seguin will play center. The 21-year-old played mostly center during his junior career, but has played primarily right wing since his debut with the Bruins during the 2010-2011 season.

“We put him [Seguin] there because we think he can,” Julien said. “We’ll see. It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s played there most of his career and giving him that opportunity is something he deserves, so we’ll see how it goes. If not, coaches will do what they do and adjust.”

Seguin enters Thursday game against the New Jersey Devils with 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 35 games, while sporting a plus-22 rating. Now, he’ll have more responsibilities as the team’s second-line center, especially replacing a player like Bergeron, who is arguably the best two-way player in the NHL and the reigning Selke Award winner.

“It’s going to be a little different for him,” Julien said of Seguin. “He’s not on the wall right now, he’ll have to be low and support, and he’s going to have to cover a little bit more territory. That’s something we all know Bergy does extremely well, so [Seguin’s] got some big shoes to fill. We don’t expect him to fill them, but we expect him to go out there and do a decent job like everybody else. We have the confidence. He can skate and more responsibility means another chance to get better as a player and mature as a guy you can put in different situations.”

The Bruins’ top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton remains the same. The third line now consists of Jay Pandolfo, Rich Peverley and Kaspars Daugavins. The energy line of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton remains the same, too.

Once Bergeron is able to return (and the Bruins believe he will), Julien will have more line shuffling to do. But for now, he’ll try it this way.

“We’re going to look and see where the fit is best, and not just for Jaromir Jagr, but for everybody else,” Julien said. “It’s not just about him, it’s about fitting guys in areas where they can be good for us. We have to look at the overall picture before we make those final decisions. We’re hoping Bergy’s going to be back at some point and that way we’ll have a clearer picture.”

When Julien first learned of the addition of Jagr, he asked Chiarelli one simple question.

“I asked if it really was a done deal,” Julien said with a laugh, referring to the Jarome Iginla situation. “I wouldn’t believe it until it was publicized on TV. I think he’s a great, great addition. This is a guy who can certainly help our hockey club in many different ways. He’s a guy that can certainly make plays. He’s a big guy and he protects the puck so well. He’s strong on his stick, and the power play is another area that he can fit in. There’s so much I think he can bring, and with our club and the way we play, there’s no doubt he’ll blend in very well.”

BOSTON -- After participating in his first morning skate with the Boston Bruins, newly acquired forward Jaromir Jagr was all smiles in the locker room. When the local media surrounded his stall, he asked if he could sit down because “I’m too old,” he said with a laugh.

Jagr, of course, is 41. He made his NHL debut in 1990. Tyler Seguin was born in 1992.

The Bruins acquired the future Hall of Famer on Tuesday from the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Lane MacDermid, unsigned draft pick Cody Payne and a conditional 2013 draft pick. Coach Claude Julien told his players the veteran was not coming here to be the savior, but rather a complementary piece to what’s already a strong roster of players.

But with Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron suddenly out indefinitely with a moderate concussion, the acquisition comes at a perfect time. On Thursday, Julien quickly inserted Jagr on the line with Seguin as center and Brad Marchand.

Jagr said Thursday that he’s happy to fill whatever role is needed in Boston.

“I’m not 25 anymore,” Jagr said. “I don’t think this team really needs it [a savior]. They won the Cup two years ago, and when you look at their top guys they’re still here so they know they can do it. For me, I wish I can somehow help the team to produce better and play better.”

Jagr admitted he was shocked when he was told of the trade, and unlike Jarome Iginla a week ago, who chose Pittsburgh over Boston, Jagr had no choice where he would play.

“Well, obviously I didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t have a no-trade clause, so I guess wherever Dallas got the best opportunity they took it. But I’m happy about it. You don’t ask questions, you just go to play. Through my whole hockey career I would play hockey wherever because it was always good for me, so I have to knock on wood. I know [in Boston] it’s going to be good, maybe not at the start, but at the end it’s going to be great.”

Even at age 41, Jagr believes he can play at a top level, and would like to play for as long as he can.

“I don’t feel bad, but the game has changed so I change,” he said. “I’m not the guy who wants to score the most goals in the league, or score the most points in the league. Don’t get me wrong, I like to score, but there are more important things for me -- the whole picture, the team, and to win as a team. In that way, I’ve changed a lot.”

The Bruins’ roster is loaded with good, young talent, and Jagr believes he’s at the stage of his career where he can help younger players both on and off the ice. He served that role for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, and now he’ll have a chance to help in Boston.

"I kind of like it. I don’t mind it at all,” Jagr said. “I learned a lot of stuff through my hockey career. I’ve played for 23 professional, and I’ve played with so many great players and I’ve learned so much stuff. No matter how old you are, you can always learn. If somebody thinks he knows everything when he’s 25, he’s lying to himself or he’s dumb. You can always learn and I’m here to teach the guys and tell them what I had to go through, and make their hockey life easier.”

When Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli officially announced the transaction, he likened it to the deal that brought Mark Recchi to Boston during the 2008-2009 season. Recchi was 40 at the time and stayed another two seasons and helped the Bruins to a Stanley Cup in 2011. Recchi now serves as an advisor to the Stars’ hockey operations staff.

When asked if Recchi spoke with him about playing in Boston, Jagr said: “He didn’t say much, and I actually didn’t listen much because I was kind of shocked. They told me I got traded. I said, ‘OK’ and I had to start thinking how I was going to do it easiest for me and get here as quick as I can.”

For the majority of his career in the NHL, Jagr had a reputation as a player that could be a difficult teammate. That image has changed the last few years and he believes he’ll fit right in with his new teammates in Boston.

"I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” he said.

Jagr played with Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference in Pittsburgh, and he’s close with Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. Also, Jagr was the boyhood hockey idol for David Krejci. So, it should be a good fit for the Bruins.

"Z, we’re neighbors. Czechs, Slovaks, we love each other. And I had to face him for the last 15 years, and every time I was on the ice, he was on the ice, so I’m very happy I’m on his side right now,” Jagr said.

After the Bruins lost to the Flyers in an historic collapse during the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, Recchi thought about retiring. Instead, he returned for one more season and then retired as a three-time Stanley Cup champion following the 2011 season. Jagr could be more than a rental player for Boston, and Chiarelli admitted as much, but only time will tell. If he’s not playing in Boston, Jagr will be playing the game of hockey somewhere.

“I love to play for the love,” he said. “If I feel healthy and feel like I can play on a good level, I want to keep playing. I’m not going to say ‘I’m retiring’ because I love the game too much. If I’m not good for the NHL, I’ll go and play in the Czech league, but I still love the game. Like everybody else, if you love something, you just don’t want to let it go.”

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins pulled off a deal just before Wednesday's NHL trade deadline, acquiring veteran defenseman Wade Redden from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2013. The pick will become a sixth-rounder if Redden plays one or more games in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

Redden joins future Hall of Fame winger Jaromir Jagr as the team's major additions for the stretch run.

Redden, 35, will be reunited with former Ottawa Senators teammate and Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. The two played together in Ottawa from 2001-2006.

"Wade obviously had played in Ottawa when I worked in Ottawa," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said Wednesday. "I had to get the band back together with him and Chara. I talked to Wade and told him he'd be part of our depth here, and he was excited to come here. He'll be on his way tomorrow."

Chiarelli recalled the chemistry the Bruins captain and Redden had in Ottawa, noting the way they complemented each other despite different styles.

"Sometimes they played together, but they were mainly in different pairs, they were obviously good friends, two real good defenseman on a team," Chiarelli said. "Obviously, different styles, but just a good complementary star defenseman."

Redden, a former first-round draft pick (second overall in 1995), played 23 games for the Blues this season. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound defenseman spent the previous two seasons in the AHL with the New York Rangers' affiliate, the Connecticut Whale.

CLICK HERE for more on the Bruins' deadline moves.

CLICK HERE for analysis by Joe McDonald, who says Chiarelli has put the Bruins in position to succeed.

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron suffered a moderate concussion Tuesday night and there’s no timetable on a possible return, general manager Peter Chiarelli announced Wednesday.

This is the fourth concussion Bergeron has suffered during his career.

“It’s prescribed as ‘moderate’ and I talked to him about an hour ago. He was in very good spirits,” Chiarelli said. “He was out walking today. He was annoyed at it. He was emotional last night. I don’t know when you’ll see him again. You’ll see him again, but I don’t think you’ll see him tomorrow. He sounded really good and I told him we’ll work together in getting him back.”

During the second period of Boston’s 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, Bergeron collided with the Senators’ Colin Greening and fell to the ice. Bergeron was slow to get to his feet before skating off the ice and did not return.

“I won’t have any further update until I have some significant information, but long story short, he got hit in the back, below the ear and he said his neck is very sore. That’s as much as I know,” Chiarelli said.

After Chiarelli learned of Bergeron’s injury Tuesday night, the GM did consider making a deal for another forward before the trade deadline, but ultimately made the decision to hold tight. The Bruins will not need to recall a center from Providence because Tyler Seguin and Kaspars Daugavins can both play center, according to Chiarelli.

The Bruins dealt for defenseman Wade Redden and minor league center Rob Flick on Wednesday and winger Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday.

“When you see a player like Patrice go down, there’s no way we’re going to replace him. There wasn’t that caliber player [available via trade] so I’m not going to go around chasing it all day,” Chiarelli said. “You’ve seen it across the league; teams have picked up the rest of the team when they have injuries, and I would expect us to do the same.”

Chiarelli couldn’t say whether this will be a long-term injury for Bergeron.

“I don’t know,” the GM said. “He was in good spirits. This is a few times we’ve been through this with Patrice, and to me, it doesn’t [seem long term] just by how I talked to him and how he responded. But I can’t speculate on it. These things are different in each case.”

In 35 games this season, Bergeron leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points, including a plus-23 rating.

BOSTON -- Just before Wednesday’s trade deadline, the Boston Bruins pulled off a trade for veteran defenseman Wade Redden from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a draft pick, a team source told ESPNBoston.com. The pick is reportedly a seventh-rounder in 2014.

Redden joins future Hall of Fame winger Jaromir Jagr and AHL center Rob Flick as the team’s additions for the stretch run.

The 35-year-old Redden will be reunited with former Ottawa Senators teammate and current Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. The two played together in Ottawa from 2001-2006.

Redden, a former first-round draft pick (second overall), played 23 games for the Blues this season. He spent the previous two seasons in the AHL with the New York Rangers' affiliate, the Connecticut Whale.

When Chiarelli was first hired by the Bruins prior to the 2006-2007 season, Redden and Chara were both on the on Boston’s radar before Chara signed as free agent.

Redden adds depth to Boston’s blue line. It was not immediately clear whether the Bruins consider him a top-six defender.

The Bruins sent AHL forward Max Suave to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Flick.

The 22-year-old Flick played 51 games for the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs this season, and collected three goals and two assists for five points. The 6-foot-3, 208-pounder also has 97 penalty minutes. Chicago drafted him in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2010 NHL draft.

The Bruins originally drafted Sauve in the second round (47th overall) in the 2008 draft. He’s spent the last three seasons with the P-Bruins and never developed the way the Bruins hoped he would. In 52 games this season in Providence, Sauve recorded 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points, including a plus-3 rating.

Information from ESPNBoston.com's James Murphy was used in this report.

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins Wednesday traded AHL forward Max Sauve to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for AHL center Rob Flick, a league source has confirmed.

Flick, 22, played 51 games for the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs this season and collected three goals and two assists for five points. The 6-foot-3, 208-pounder also has 97 penalty minutes. Chicago drafted him in the fourth round (120th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

The Bruins originally drafted Sauve in the second round (47th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He’s spent the last three seasons with the P-Bruins and never developed the way the Bruins hoped he would. In 52 games this season in Providence, Sauve recorded 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points, including a plus-3 rating.

BOSTON --The NHL’s trade deadline day has arrived, and Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli continues to work the phones in an attempt to strengthen his team for the final month of the season and into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Chiarelli has already improved the team with the additions of veteran forward Jaromir Jagr and forward Kaspars Daugavins, but the GM would like to add depth on the blue line, and would also consider another forward.

It’s also possible Chiarelli’s focus could change, depending on the status of forward Patrice Bergeron, who left Tuesday’s game in the second period with what appeared to be a head injury and did not return. He’s already suffered three concussions during his career. The Bruins are off today, but there should be an update on Bergeron’s status when Chiarelli holds his post-deadline press conference today at 5 p.m.

Until Chiarelli is satisfied, he’ll work to improve the team before the 3 p.m. deadline.

“It’s never done,” he said Tuesday afternoon after announcing the Jagr trade. “We’ll see what happens. The thought going into [Wednesday], if nothing was done today, is that, for example, if we didn’t get Jaromir that there would be players that would come about. There are always players like that coming up at the last minute; you don’t like to be surprised that way, but you’re prepared for it. I would imagine that there would be players like that, and if there are some things that we think can help us in the proper context, then we’ll look at it.”

The issue Chiarelli and other GMs are dealing with this season is the fact that so many teams are in playoff contention, so deals are harder to come by. Chiarelli has said many times this year that he would like to add to his roster and not subtract from its current core.

From an offensive standpoint, the addition of Daugavins, 24, helps. He was claimed off waivers from Ottawa last week and finally arrived Tuesday in Boston after dealing with work visa issues.

“I like him as a player. I think he’s got a lot of elements to his game that are consistent with, or compatible with, our game,” Chiarelli said. “He’s strong, I think he’s skilled, and for whatever reason he wasn’t getting played a lot, or whatever. He didn’t fit there, so that’s fine. So we’ll see where he fits. He’s still a young player, so you try to get him in and look at him, and see where it goes.”

We’ll see what direction Chiarelli takes before the deadline. Until then, check out our trade deadline chat and be sure to check back with ESPNBoston.com for updates.

To participate in the live chat, CLICK HERE.

BOSTON -- Heading into what was a very busy month of March for the Bruins, coach Claude Julien said he would rely more on Anton Khudobin, who at the time had only three starts under his belt this season. Julien cited the need to give starter Tuukka Rask more rest before the playoffs, while his team played a very demanding schedule. Khudobin has performed like a starter himself, going 5-2-0 since the beginning of March.

On Tuesday he backstopped the Bruins to a 3-2 win over the Senators with a 45-save performance in his best game yet for Boston.

Khudobin is now 8-3-0 with a 2.07 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. Julien said postgame that Khudobin has proven to be just what the Bruins needed between the pipes in a condensed season.

"He's a battler, I think we all saw that," Julien said. "He's been working hard all year. When he's given the opportunity, except for that game in Toronto, which I don't think he was that bad, we just kind of made that change for momentum reasons. But, he's been pretty good. He's made a great combination with Tuukka, as far as this kind of schedule with what you've got to do with your goaltenders. He's been a great complement to our group."

As his team suffered plenty of defensive lapses in allowing so many scoring chances, Khudobin battled his way around the crease and wherever he had to go to make a save. But oddly enough, it was the Senators' second goal that saw Khudobin battle the most and show that he will do anything to make a save. Khudobin was caught out of the crease and as Andre Benoit let the shot go, Khudobin dove across the crease and appeared to make the save, but it was ruled to be a goal later when the replay showed the puck go just under the crossbar.

"I wasn't thinking because I wasn't thinking anything. When it hit my head, I just stand up pretty much and the play was on," Khudobin said. "They didn't score, good, so let's continue playing. After the referee said that it's replay, and after replay he said goal. Of course, I wasn't happy with that, but still it doesn't matter. We got the W, that's most important."

As for facing 47 shots, Khudobin admitted fatigue but again was more concerned about the end result.

"I'm pretty sure for their goalie it's not fun right now because he lost," Khudobin said of Sens goalie Robin Lehner, who stopped 47 of 50 shots. "But it doesn't matter for me. I got the W. I'm happy with that. We got our points and we keep moving forward. I'm pretty happy. If it could be less maybe I wouldn't be that much tired. It's all right."

So as the Bruins begin this final month of the 2013 regular season, they can rest easy in knowing that if Rask needs a break or stumbles at all, they have a very capable goalie in Khudobin.

"We have both goalies playing well. Obviously, both step up at different times, and right now Anton is playing extremely well, but I'm not saying that Tuukka is not," said captain Zdeno Chara. "Both of them are playing well. When we need them they're making big saves, so it's not like one guy is better than the other. We're just playing as it goes right now, and he's playing well."

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Tuesday night after acquiring future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr, but things took a turn for the worse when center Patrice Bergeron was forced to exit the game.

Bergeron suffered what appeared to be a head injury midway through the second period when he was racing back into the defensive zone and slammed his head into the elbow of Senators forward Colin Greening. He fell to the ice and stayed there for a bit before getting up and leaving for the Bruins' dressing room.

"He's a player that plays a big role on our team," Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said. "He's obviously one of our best players every night, so he was missed since he left the game."

Bergeron did not return, and Bruins coach Claude Julien did not have an update on his status following the game. Julien wouldn't speculate what the team would do if Bergeron is sidelined for an extended amount of time.

CLICK HERE to read more on Bergeron's condition.

CLICK HERE to read Bruins reporter Joe McDonald's column on Boston's up-and-down day.

BOSTON -- On the heels of a 26-save shutout Sunday, Anton Khudobin made 45 saves and the Bruins won their second straight game with a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at TD Garden.

David Krejci, Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton all lit the lamp for the Bruins, who would've had more goals if not for a 47-save performance from Senators goalie Robin Lehner. Colin Greening and Andre Benoit scored for the Senators.

Lucic-Krejci-Horton line stays hot: They were the difference in the third period of the Bruins' 2-0 win at Buffalo on Sunday night and on Tuesday they were even better. Milan Lucic, Krejci and Horton couldn't be clicking at a better time and on Tuesday they were major factors on offense, combining for five points. Krejci and Horton had a goal and assist each, while Lucic had two helpers and continues to use his size to make space for his linemates. Horton now has a four-game goal streak going, while Krejci has two goals and three assists during that span. Meanwhile, Lucic hasn't lit the lamp in the past four games but has had four helpers.

Bergeron injured: Bruins center Patrice Bergeron left the game 10:43 into the second period after suffering what appeared to be a head injury. Bergeron was racing back to help the defense and as he skated into the area in front of the Bruins net, he slammed his head into the elbow of Greening. He fell to the ice and stayed there for a bit before getting up and leaving for the Bruins' dressing room. He did not return and no update was available as of the end of the game. Bergeron has had three concussions in his career, including one that kept him out for the majority of the 2007-08 season.

Khudobin gets the nod again: Khudobin started his second straight game and once again came up with the big saves when the Bruins needed them. Head coach Claude Julien reiterated earlier in the day that he would not hesitate to continue to use Khudobin in consecutive games down the stretch of the regular season. The case can be made that over the past month Khudobin has outplayed Tuukka Rask, and while Julien is doing this more to rest Rask for the playoffs, it doesn't hurt that Khudobin is playing so well.

Seguin playing with more jump: Seguin entered the game with only two goals in his past 10 games and had seemed to lose a bit of the jump in his game that makes him so dangerous. But on Tuesday, Seguin was buzzing from the opening faceoff. Seguin's goal 4:29 into the second period gave Boston a 2-1 lead at the time, and for the remainder of the game, the speedy forward had plenty of chances, including a breakaway halfway through the third period that Lehner was able to deny. If Seguin continues to play with that passion and intensity, it will surely help to ease the pain of his linemate not playing should Bergeron miss any time.

Lineup remains same to start game: Before Bergeron's injury, the Bruins' lines remained the same as they were on Sunday night. After Bergeron left, Julien was constantly shuffling the lines in his absence. But here is what things looked like initially:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Tyler Seguin
Jay Pandolfo-Rich Peverley-Jordan Caron
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Dougie Hamilton
Andrew Ference-Dennis Seidenberg
Matt Bartkowski-Johnny Boychuk
Anton Khudobin
Tuukka Rask

BOSTON -- Bruins center Patrice Bergeron left halfway through the second period of the Bruins-Senators game and will not return. There was no further information on his status. Bergeron was coming back to help in the defensive zone and inadvertently ran his head into the elbow of Senators center Colin Greening. He fell to the ice and took some time to get up before heading down the ramp to the Bruins dressing room.

With Bergeron's history of concussions -- three in his career -- there was obviously major concern at TD Garden. Bergeron, who currently leads the team in points with 31 and assists with 21, missed the majority of the 2007-08 season with a severe concussion. He suffered another concussion the following season, but returned to play. He then missed time in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals with his third concussion but returned to action once again.

Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton left the game briefly in the third period after laying a huge hit on Erik Condra. Hamilton seemed to get the worse of it and exited for the dressing room, but returned to play moments later.

BOSTON -- After Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire veteran forward Jaromir Jagr from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a pair of prospects and a draft pick, the GM spoke Tuesday with the future Hall of Famer and laid out the team's blueprint moving forward.

According to Chiarelli, Jagr was receptive to the role he would play in Boston in hopes of winning the organization's second Stanley Cup in a span of three years. The Bruins are not concerned with Jagr's age, 41, or that there's this notion his skills have deteriorated.

"He wants to win," Chiarelli said. "His game is still a strong power game. He was leading [Dallas] in scoring and you watch him play and you see a lot of what you used to see in him, so I'm confident Jaromir will accept any role he's given and he knows he's coming to a strong group and he'll help us out."

In the deal, the Bruins sent forward Lane MacDermid, unsigned prospect Cody Payne and a conditional second-round draft pick in the 2013 NHL entry draft in order to obtain Jagr's services. The Bruins receive a player with 1,380 career games played, 679 goals and 1,000 assists for 1,679 points. Also, his 195 career playoff goals ranks 18th all-time.

"His career speaks for itself," Chiarelli said. "He's a strong player, protects the puck well and consistent with our style, in the sense that there's a cycle element to his game. He's good on the half wall with a real good release shot. He's just a really good player. I know he's 41 but he's been one of their best players in Dallas, and last year he was one of Philly's best players and he gives us an element of offense."

The conditional second-round pick could become a first-round pick if the Bruins reach the Eastern Conference finals this season. That does not hinder Chiarelli from making another deal that could include this year's first-round pick, because if the conditional pick does vest this spring, then the next option would be a first-round pick in 2014.

Chiarelli learned late Monday night that Jagr would be available via the trade market, but the Bruins GM admitted there had already been some groundwork done. Jagr will join his new team on Wednesday and he'll wear his usual No. 68.

He has 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points in 34 games this season with the Stars. That would put him fourth on the Bruins in scoring, behind Patrice Bergeron (31 points), Brad Marchand (28) and David Krejci (28).

Bruins coach Claude Julien could insert Jagr onto the team's third line along with Rich Peverley and Jordan Caron. Once Chris Kelly -- who's out with a broken left tibia -- returns, a possible line of Jagr, Kelly and Peverley could be a strong combination for the Bruins, with speed and playmaking ability.

"We'll have to see where he fits in," Chiarelli said. "Obviously, there's a need on the third line, but he's got a higher-line pedigree. What I said to Jaromir was, we pride ourselves on four strong lines and he's an important part, but not the [only] part to success. So he could be on the third line. There's been times when our fourth line has been our third line, and vice versa, so it depends on who's going. We'll try to even it out and he seemed very receptive to that."

One place Jagr should help is on the Bruins' power play. Boston is ranked 24th in the NHL in power-play percentage at 15.2 percent (14-for-92). Jagr has scored six power-play goals this season with the Stars.

"He's a strong half wall player on the power play and he can roll off the top of the circle and really fire the wrist shot and make plays, so that'll help us out on the power play," Chiarelli said.

In the past, Jagr had a reputation as not being a team-first guy. But in recent years that perception has changed.

"He's a terrific player who's won some Cups and has been a superstar player, but I liken it a little to, and I told Jaromir this too, the addition of Mark Recchi," Chiarelli said. "You don't have to be the guy, but you're an important piece and you band together with your teammates. You've got the experience. You've got a certain skill set, size that will benefit the rest of the group. You've got the experience and you want to win still. That was an important question and he was very receptive to that."

Recchi was 40 years old when the Bruins acquired him from Tampa during the 2008-2009 seasons. He spent another two seasons in Boston and retired after he helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011. Even though Jagr will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, Chiarelli wouldn't necessarily classify the veteran as a rental player.

"It's a little early to tell," Chiarelli said. "I probably would have given you the same answer for Recchi when we got him, [and] we extended him twice."

Less than a week after a possible deal for this year's star-studded trade chip Jarome Iginla imploded on the Bruins when the future Hall of Famer decided he wanted to instead play with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, Chiarelli turned his focus on Jagr.

"This market these days is difficult because the prices are so high, and you have to try to judge who else is in on the game," Chiarelli said. "You don't want to overspend, but you want to get the player, you want to get help, you want to bolster the team and you want to win."

Chiarelli would still like to add another defenseman before Wednesday's 3 p.m. trade deadline, but as of Tuesday afternoon the Bruins GM is happy with the team's latest addition.

"We got the player and we feel he will help us," Chiarelli said of Jagr.

What will Jaromir Jagr do for the Boston Bruins? ESPN.com's Scott Burnside and ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald debate the finer points.

BURNSIDE: Well, Joe, you and I chatted in this forum last week after Jarome Iginla made his last-second decision to eschew the Boston Bruins and orchestrate his trade from Calgary to the Pittsburgh Penguins. We talked at the time about how GM Peter Chiarelli would move on and continue to search for ways to ready his team for what he hopes will be a long playoff run. Tuesday he made a significant move by bringing in five-time scoring champ Jaromir Jagr from the Dallas Stars for a conditional second-round draft pick -- which becomes a first-round pick if the Bruins win two rounds this spring -- and two prospects, winger Cody Payne, who was the 145th overall pick in last June’s draft, and Lane MacDermid, also a winger and the 112th overall pick in 2009. Now, comparing Jagr to Iginla is a little like comparing pucks to tennis balls: They’re made of very different stuff. But what do you make of the Czech legend’s acquisition? I know he was much beloved in the Philadelphia locker room a year ago and there’s no question his absence has been a factor in the Flyers’ disappointing season. And he was a big hit with the Stars for the brief time he was there. How do you see him fitting in the B's?

McDONALD: Scotty, I have heard that Jagr's reputation behind closed doors has improved the past few years, but I'm still a little wary about how he'll fit into Boston's room at this point. After all, he's no Mark Recchi. Speaking of Rex, since he's currently working for the Dallas Stars, maybe he had some words of advice for the newest member of the Bruins in that aspect. Bruins forward David Krejci told me this morning that he admitted to having Jagr's poster on his wall as a young kid in the Czech Republic, calling him his "hockey idol," so maybe the veteran forward could make a seamless transition in Boston. On the ice, I can see Bruins coach Claude Julien putting Jagr on the third line along with Rich Peverley and Jordan Caron until Chris Kelly (broken left tibia) is ready to return. As far as Boston's power play, Jagr's presence will be a major help. The Bruins have scored a total of only 14 power-play goals this season, while Jagr recorded six on the PP for Dallas. The other thing here, Scotty, you have to give Chiarelli credit for quickly pulling the trigger on this deal after Iginla chose the other team that wears black and gold.

BURNSIDE: I agree that on first blush Jagr might not be your prototypical Bruin forward, but I thought the same when he signed with Philadelphia after leading the Penguins to the altar at the outset of the free-agency period in the summer of 2011. The one thing, having covered the Flyers in the first two rounds of the playoffs last spring, is that by then Jagr was broken down and not particularly effective. He had one assist in the Flyers’ five-game loss to New Jersey in the second round. Now, in a short season, that shouldn’t be as much an issue for either Jagr or the Bruins. You mentioned your thoughts on where he might fit in with the Bruins, and I think one of the benefits, as it might have been had Iginla become a Bruin, is that you can move him up and down the lineup. But Jagr is not Iginla nor Brenden Morrow in that he’s not going to give you those dirty minutes in the corner or kill penalties. So does this suggest to you that Chiarelli isn’t done yet? It doesn’t look like Ryane Clowe is on the Bruins’ radar right now, but is there someone out there who might fill that need for a forward with some more sand?

McDONALD: The other thing I'll say about Jagr, based on the lockout-shortened season, he will be motivated for his duration with the Bruins. I agree he could handle playing on any of Boston's top three lines, and it could be fun to watch him play with fellow Czech Krejci, but given Jagr's age, and not knowing how much he has remaining in the tank, let Peverley do the dirty work. And, no, I don't think Chiarelli is done. We all know he's in search of help on the back end, but adding a player such as Clowe is still in the mix. I'm still interested in a player such as the Islanders' Brad Boyes, too. With Jagr likely on the Bruins' top power-play unit, having Boyes on the second unit would be a big help, too. While I'm not completely sold on the addition of Jagr, I do see the Bruins being able to make a deep run in the playoffs, which means we'll be working together more very soon.

BURNSIDE: Hard to imagine the New York Islanders would trade Brad Boyes given how close they are to the postseason, and especially given that the two teams could actually meet in the first round. But I agree, Joe; I don’t think Chiarelli is done. But here’s the question I think many people will be pondering after the dust settles Wednesday afternoon: Have the Bruins or anyone in the East done enough to close the gap on the Penguins? If the Penguins get healthy by the postseason, can the Bruins stay close? And more to the point, does Jagr balance the spreadsheet with Iginla or no? One thing I’m looking forward to is that tilt in Boston on April 19. Save me a seat in the press box.

McDONALD: Oh, Scotty, that gap (at least in the Bruins' mind) closed when Iginla picked Pittsburgh over Boston. Sure, all the Bruins players said all the right things publicly, but you can be sure they've circled April 19 on their calendar for when they host the Penguins at the Garden. It's actually a toss-up as to who's hated more right now: Iginla in Boston or Jagr in Pittsburgh? While Jagr's addition is not the answer this season, his presence will help Boston and I just hope these teams meet in the playoffs because it would be a dramatic series. Bostonians would rather see you here, Scotty, than Mr. Jagr but it's going to be interesting.