Bruins place LW Sturm on IR

Dec 14, 2008 - 4:52 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Marco Sturm was not ready to return to the Boston Bruins' lineup after all.

Two days after stating his condition was improving, Sturm on Saturday was placed on long-term injured reserve by the Bruins with concussion-like symptoms.

The move is retroactive to November 17, when the 30-year-old Sturm suffered the injury in a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The German potentially could be activated for Boston's meeting with Toronto on Thursday, according to Bruins coach Claude Julien.

"About Sturm, my comment with him would be 'cautiously optimistic' because it was very good today," Julien said. "It was even better than yesterday. But unfortunately, with those injuries, there's sometimes setbacks. But I'm going to say cautiously optimistic, and he's heading in the right direction."

Sturm has missed 11 games since getting hurt. He has recorded six goals and six assists in 18 contests this season, posting a pair of two-goal efforts.

Last campaign, Sturm led the Bruins with 27 tallies. The 6-foot, 194-pounder was acquired from San Jose in the November 2005 deal that sent former Boston captain Joe Thornton to the Sharks.

Drafted 21st overall by San Jose in 1996, Sturm has registered 211 goals and 217 assists in 778 career games with the Sharks and Bruins.

To replace Sturm on the roster, Boston recalled right wing Martins Karsums from Providence of the American Hockey League.

The 22-year-old Karsums played in Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers, registering two shots on goal and posting a minus-1 rating in 8 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time. After the game, he was assigned back to Providence.

Karsums has notched 11 goals and 16 assists in 26 games for Boston's AHL affiliate this season. A native of Latvia, the 5-10, 198-pounder was selected in the second round of the 2004 draft.

While Karsums made his NHL debut on Saturday, Boston was without center Patrice Bergeron due to the flu.

Bergeron, 23, has recorded four goals and 13 assists in 29 games this campaign. The 2003 second-round pick missed the majority of the 2007-08 season with a concussion, registering just three tallies and seven points in 10 contests.