Johnny Boychuk

Ailing Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk (head injury) participated in an optional morning skate today. He was one of the last players to leave the ice after ramping up the work at the end. It was a harder session than yesterday's solo skate with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides. "I'm feeling pretty good," Boychuk said. "I felt good out there. Just take it day by day, I guess. " Boychuk can recall Chris Neil's hit from Saturday. He said he felt like he got run over by a train.

Here's a status report on the Bruins' roster as it heads into 2012-2013. A look at the players who finished the season on the Boston roster and what lies ahead for them: (Key: UFA -- unrestricted free agent; RFA -- restricted free agent) Player Salary Years left / FA status Outlook FORWARDS David Krejci $5.25m 3/ UFA Returns as 1A center Patrice Bergeron  $5m 2/ UFA Returns as 1A center Brian Rolston  $5m ...

Johnny Boychuk, sidelined for the final two games of the regular season because of a sprained left knee, made it through Monday's entire Bruins practice without any issues. The defenseman wore a brace over his knee. "There weren't really any limitations," Boychuk said. "I went on the ice a little bit yesterday and it was a little bit sore. I tried it out today with some tape and a nice knee brace. It felt better. " Boychuk hit the ice before practice for work with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff It's not surprising that the Bruins locker room was quiet after a loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 7 knocked the Bruins out of the playoffs. Johnny Boychuk, Dennis Seidenberg, and Zdeno Chara -- the defensive rocks of the team for most of the season -- stood in and took questions for what must have seemed like an agonizingly long time. With only those three players available for most of the open locker room period, the players were left to answer questions for about 15 minutes each.

WILMINGTON -- The Bruins had no news about the status of the injury to Johnny Boychuk's left leg after practice on Wednesday, but the rugged defenseman was expected to be reevaluated later in the day. Boychuk slammed his left leg into Pittsburgh's Arron Asram during the Bruins' 5-3 loss Tuesday night and had to be helped off the ice by his teammates. After a full practice, the Bruins left immediately for Ottawa and the penultimate game of the season Thursday against the team likely to be their first-round playoff opponent.

Johnny Boychuk suffered a mild concussion when Chris Neil practically checked him into another province last Saturday in Ottawa. One of the criteria for the mild classification was that Boychuk could remember the hit. In fact, it was a blast the defenseman will not soon forget. "I just felt like I got run over by a train," Boychuk said. "It was a good hit. Just unfortunate that I didn't see him. " Despite the ferocity of Neil's check, Boychuk has been progressing well. Yesterday, he participated in an optional morning skate at TD Garden.

The Bruins dropped a 5-3 decision to the Penguins Tuesday before 17,535 at TD Garden. That wasn't their primary concern. Their worries centered around the condition of Johnny Boychuk. At 6:45 of the third period, Boychuk departed the Garden ice with his arms draped around the shoulders of Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston. Boychuk placed no weight on his left leg, which he had clanged into Pittsburgh's Arron Asham during an awkward check. Coach Claude Julien said the collision took place on the side of Boychuk's leg. "Those kinds of injuries, you've got to kind of let the...

Johnny Boychuk didn't skate this morning because of flu-like symptoms. Boychuk is questionable for tonight's game against Columbus. If Boychuk is unavailable, Andrew Ference would get the nod. Ference (lower body) has not played in the last two games. The Bruins have not recalled a defenseman from Providence, indicating that Ference should be ready if Boychuk can't play. @GlobeFluto

Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk has been diagnosed with a mild left knee sprain. Boychuk is day-to-day, coach Claude Julien said. Boychuk was injured in the third period of Tuesday's 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh after he collided with Arron Asham. Boychuk needed help from Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston to leave the ice, putting no weight on his left leg. In all likelihood, Game 1 of the playoffs will take place next Thursday at TD Garden. There is no definitive word on whether Boychuk would be available for the start of the playoffs.

Johnny Boychuk participated in an optional morning skate today. He was one of the last players to leave the ice after ramping up the work at the end. It was a harder session than yesterday's solo skate with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides. "I'm feeling pretty good," Boychuk said. "I felt good out there. Just take it day by day, I guess. " Boychuk can recall Chris Neil's hit from Saturday. Boychuk said he felt like he got run over by a train. Boychuk acknowledged it was a clean check.

When Brad Marchand was dropped from the second line in Friday's practice to skate with the fourth-liners, Bruins coach Claude Julien said it wasn't about pointing fingers. "It was about kind of giving the guy another look at practice," Julien said. The coach didn't want to make it seem like he was sending a message. "At the same time," he said, "you know your players. " Entering Game 5 against the Capitals Saturday, four of the Bruins' top five scorers had made absolutely no offensive impact, Marchand (28 goals, 27 assists in the regular season)

The Bruins improved parts of their game Saturday, not by a lot, but enough that it could have led to better results. However, while their skating and scoring determination improved, their goaltending sagged, which isn't to say that Tim Thomas is the reason they teeter now at the brink of playoff elimination. But the two-time Vezina Trophy winner did not give his team enough of a chance, enough of that Vezina/Conn Smythe stuff, to win Game 5 of the series. "We may be in trouble," acknowledged Bruins coach Claude Julien following the 4-3 loss to the Capitals...

The Washington Capitals know how good the Boston Bruins are at coming from behind. They're determined to change that — soon. Troy Brouwer scored on a power play with 1:27 left, giving the Capitals a 4-3 victory Saturday and a chance to eliminate the defending champions in Game 6 in Washington on Sunday. The Bruins rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 before Brouwer beat Tim Thomas over the glove with a wrist shot from the right circle. Last year, Boston overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits — in games — in the Stanley Cup finals against the Vancouver Canucks.

By Joe Sullivan, Globe Staff Some post-game tidbits: -- Troy Brouwer's game-winning goal came with 1:27 left in the third period. It was the fourth time in the five games of the series that the game winner was scored in the final two minutes of play. -- This has obviously been a close series, the Caps 2-0 lead was the first two-goal lead of the series. -- The Bruins scored twice in 28 seconds in the second period. They scored twice in less than 30 seconds during the regular season.

For two games of the Bruins-Capitals series, there hasn't been a player on either team who's eluded a check. Such black-and-blue play has not been suited to Bruin Tyler Seguin's offensive game. As a rookie, Seguin's flickering battle level cost him playoff games. He was a healthy scratch for 12 postseason matches. As a second-year pro, Seguin has shown far more courage than he did as a rookie. But in the first round, Seguin has played like he's been hearing footsteps. His performance in all three zones has suffered as a result.

After two overtime clashes, the latest a 2-1 Washington win Saturday in double overtime, here is what we know about this first-round series. Braden Holtby, Washington's third-string goalie, is legit. The Bruins need their skilled line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Rich Peverley to get their legs, hands, and heads in synch. And this series, assuming no alterations in game plans, will be an all-defense, buttoned-down war of attrition. Holtby was the primary reason the Capitals were in Game 1 until Chris Kelly's overtime winner.

WILMINGTON — Good morning from Ristuccia Arena, where the Bruins have started practice. Johnny Boychuk, rocked by Chris Neil on Saturday, is not present. Boychuk could have suffered a concussion because of the hit. If Boychuk is unavailable for tomorrow's rematch, Andrew Bodnarchuk would see his first action of the season. Bodnarchuk and Max Sauve were recalled from Providence this morning. UPDATE : Bodnarchuk is expected to play tomorrow. Boychuk is suffering from symptoms that are consistent with a concussion, said Claude Julien.

Chris Kelly is known around the Bruins' dressing room for his dry sense of humor. So it would not have been a stretch for Kelly, for whatever reason, to complete his postgame media obligations wearing a chain-link necklace with a padlock as its centerpiece. "I just like the fact that Kells had to wear it first," Andrew Ference said. "I don't know if people knew if it was a fashion statement or not, because he kept a pretty straight face. " Kelly wore the chain after his overtime goal in Game 1. The chain was Ference's idea.