Chiarelli: Bergeron has 'mild concussion'

Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed to reporters Saturday that center Patrice Bergeron has been diagnosed with what he described as a "mild concussion" after a hit by Philadelphia's Claude Giroux in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series Friday night.

"He went into the quiet room after he was hit, was assessed by our doctors, took the NHL-modified SCAT II test and was deemed unable to return, but what I'm told is that the concussion is mild," Chiarelli said. "

Bergeron leads the Bruins and is tied for second in the League with 12 points this postseason. He has had a history of problems with concussions, twice missing significant time because of one.

He missed the final 72 games of the 2007-08 regular season the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs because of a concussion and also was out for 15 contests after having another one during the 2008-09 campaign.

"You're obviously missing a key character component and a key leadership component [in Bergeron], but there's been a growing element of leadership from a lot of different places in the room," the general manager said.

The Bruins will play Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Final, their first time this deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs since being swept in the conference final by Pittsburgh in 1992. If Bergeron is unavailable for Game 1 against the Lightning, it is likely that Tyler Seguin, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 Entry Draft, will make his postseason debut for Boston.

Seguin has been a healthy scratch for the team's first 11 playoff games. He had 11 goals and 22 points in 74 games this season.

"We feel [Seguin] deserves a chance and he's been working quite hard in practice," Chiarelli said. "We'll see where he fits in the lineup. He's really put his nose to the grindstone in practice and watching from above he's the intensity and tenacity of the games. Plus he'll give us an offensive boost also."