Patrice Bergeron and a handful of other Boston Bruins players won’t be going to China for a pair of preseason games later this month against the Calgary Flames.
Bergeron is still not 100 percent after offseason groin surgery. Captain Zdeno Chara, who is 41, isn’t going to avoid wear and tear, Torey Krug is coming off a broken ankle, forward Noel Acciari had sports hernia surgery, and Anders Bjork had shoulder surgery.
The Bruins face the Flames Sept. 15 in Beijing and Sept. 19 in Shenzhen. Boston is taking a big chunk of its NHL roster, including forwards Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and David Krejci, young defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltenders Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak.
Bergeron said he is about 85 to 90 percent healthy and hopes to be ready for the start of the regular season Oct. 3.