Chara taking charge at start

WILMINGTON -- The Bruins captaincy has yet to be determined, but based on yesterday's informal skate at Ristuccia Arena, the placement of the C on Zdeno Chara's jersey may just be a formality.

Chara, Boston's biggest offseason signing, led a collection of skaters yesterday morning, taking to the club's practice surface for the first time as a member of the Bruins. With no members of the coaching staff present, Chara acted as on-ice coach.

Chara jetted off to a meeting with a real estate broker after the skate, but spent enough time at practice to win the respect of his new teammates -- as well as a new number.

The defenseman, who wore No. 3 in Ottawa (it is retired in Boston for Lionel Hitchman), will wear No. 33 in Boston. That comes courtesy of goalie Hannu Toivonen, who did not require a dinner or other such incentive in return for giving up the number. Toivonen will wear No. 54, representing his father's birth year.

Toivonen, who skated yesterday alongside netminding partner Tim Thomas, said his right ankle felt fine. Toivonen played in 20 games last season, posting a 9-5-4 record, 2.63 goals-against average, and .914 save percentage, but he sprained his ankle last January and missed the rest of the season. The year before while playing for Providence in the AHL, Toivonen injured his left knee.

Last week, general manager Peter Chiarelli acknowledged that the club's inexperience in goal is a question mark. But Chiarelli cited Carolina's Cam Ward, the rookie netminder who backstopped the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup last season, as an example of an unproven goalie who achieved the ultimate success.

Other participants yesterday included defensemen Paul Mara, Jay Leach, and Bobby Allen, and forwards Brad Boyes and Wayne Primeau. Mara, a native of Belmont and a Red Sox season ticket-holder, joked that he was trying to give away his Fenway seats amid the club's collapse. Mara plans to bring some of his current teammates to Fenway for this weekend's series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Director of player development Don Sweeney also was at the rink.

The Bruins announced the signing of Hobey Baker finalist T.J. Trevelyan to a multiyear contract. Trevelyan had 20 goals and 28 assists for St. Lawrence last season; he was the top scorer in the ECACHL and a first-team All-American. The 5-foot-10-inch, 170-pound left wing from Mississauga, Ontario, had 154 points in 150 career games with the Saints. The 22-year-old Trevelyan will most likely start the 2006-07 season in Providence, where he should skate on one of the top two lines . . . The Bruins have not made a move to re-sign veteran forward Tom Fitzgerald, but the Billerica native hasn't forsaken his roots. During a workout yesterday morning at Boston University's Walter Brown Arena, Fitzgerald wore black and gold socks and his No. 12 Bruins helmet. Fitzgerald was among 30 skaters at Walter Brown, along with Massachusetts residents Tom Poti (New York Islanders), Ryan Whitney (Pittsburgh Penguins), Mike Grier (San Jose Sharks), and Hal Gill (Toronto Maple Leafs).