Injury KO’s Savard this time

But on Tuesday at Ristuccia Arena, Savard took another shot off the foot, this one with enough severity that he left practice and headed to Massachusetts General Hospital for an MRI and CAT scan. The tests revealed that Savard had been playing for seven games with a broken foot, and that he’d miss 4-6 weeks.

The Bruins placed Savard on long-term injured reserve yesterday and recalled center Trent Whitfield from Providence on an emergency basis. Savard will have to sit out the next 10 games and 24 calendar days. He would be eligible to dress Nov. 12 against Florida.

The injury is a jarring one to the Bruins, and also virtually eliminates Savard from Olympic consideration.

“Very disappointed,’’ said Savard. “Especially because the team is struggling a bit right now. I could help, and it’s a tough situation right now.

“But I think it’s for the best for myself and for the team right now. I haven’t been feeling 100 percent out there skating. The best thing now is to get it 100 percent. Guys have rallied before, and I’m sure they’ll do the same again.’’

In seven games, Savard had four goals and three assists to lead the Bruins in points. Amid the team’s struggles, he had been the best-performing Bruin.

“He’s better than just a point producer,’’ said coach Claude Julien. “He’s a good all-around player when he sets his mind to it. We’re going to miss that, but we’re going to battle through it and hopefully get the results we want.’’

Savard appeared in 82 games in three of the last four seasons. He sat out eight in 2007-08 because of a broken bone in his back, courtesy of current teammate Steve Begin.

Savard has been an anchor on Boston’s No. 1 line and on the first power-play unit, where he sets the tempo and pace from the right-side half-boards. Three of his 7 points this season had come on the power play.

“I kind of knew something was wrong all along,’’ Savard said. “The docs cleared me and said everything was going to be OK. I reaggravated it [Tuesday], but it was in the back of my mind. I was hurting.’’

The Bruins will now look to David Krejci (0-3 -3) and Patrice Bergeron (3-3 -6) to provide up-the-middle offensive presence.

“Savvy started strong, and obviously he is the fulcrum on the first unit on the power play,’’ said general manager Peter Chiarelli. “David and Patrice have the playmaking ability - we’ve seen it in the past - to replace that player on the PP now. It changes the nature of the PP because Savvy is the left shot on the half-wall. So you’ll probably see some different looks on the PP units. Both units. I have confidence in those two players to pick up the slack.’’

Bergeron chipped in last night, scoring a goal in the 3-2 win over Nashville.

On Tuesday, Paille was reunited with Benning and former coach Doug Houda (Paille played for the Bruins assistant with Rochester in 2004-05), as the Bruins acquired him from the Sabres for their third-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2010.

“The reason why we drafted him in Buffalo is the reason we traded for him now - because of his speed, his ability to get in on the forecheck, hit, recover pucks,’’ Benning said. “He’s a good, defensive, two-way player.’’

The former first-round pick, however, had been surpassed on Buffalo’s depth chart by younger forwards such as Patrick Kaleta, Clarke MacArthur, Matt Ellis, and Tim Kennedy. The 25-year-old left wing had been a healthy scratch in four of Buffalo’s six games this season.

“I wasn’t too sure if it were to happen or not,’’ Paille said of a trade. “I never asked for one. It was just to a point where I wasn’t playing in Buffalo. Buffalo thought I deserved to play, whether it was with them or somebody else. They found somebody else, so I’m more than happy to be here.’’

The 6-foot, 200-pound Paille scored a career-high 19 goals in 2007-08. He projects to be a bottom-six forward who plays with grit and speed. Paille, who assisted on Begin’s winning goal in the third period last night, can also play on the penalty kill.

“Good defensive presence,’’ said Chiarelli. “Had one year of 19 goals, and last year he had 12, so he can score. Very good speed, very good strength on the puck, good on the walls. I would characterize him as a good defensive forward with upside.’’

“It’s a different kind of role,’’ Whitfield said. “There won’t be any power-play time. It’s more about winning faceoffs, playing solid defensively, and take your offensive chances when you get them.’’

Whitfield, originally the Bruins’ fourth-round pick in 1996, dressed in three games last season for St. Louis.

“He’s been around the block a few times,’’ said Julien. “His age and the experience he’s got at the pro level will certainly serve us well. He’s had a good start with Providence, so he’s another guy who can be gritty but also put up a few points here and there.’’ Whitfield centered Vladimir Sobotka and Blake Wheeler last night. Chiarelli said Zach Hamill, who is more of a skilled center than Whitfield, isn’t ready for an extended callup.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com.