BOSTON -- While Zdeno Chara's left knee injury will require him to continue wearing a brace, the defenseman said Monday that he won't need offseason surgery.

Chara missed nearly two months after tearing the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee on Oct. 23 and admitted that the injury still wasn’t completely healed when he returned to the ice in December. However, Chara said that toward the end of the season there were no issues with his knee and that he’s looking forward to a healthy offseason.

“It happened and it took me a while to be back at my game,” Chara said. “Believe it or not, it’s something that slows you down. You have to make adjustments, you have to deal with different things that you’re not used to. Again, at the end of the season I felt much better and back to myself and performing more like I’m more known for.”

Despite eventually returning to form, Chara’s numbers never caught up to where they usually are at season’s end. He scored only 20 points -- his lowest total since the 2000-01 season, not counting the strike-shortened 2012-13 season -- and averaged less ice time in his 63 games played than he has in any of his other nine seasons with the Bruins.

Of course, another important number is 38 -- Chara’s age. While many could point to that as a reason to expect Chara’s numbers to trend downward, he believes that just because he’s getting older doesn’t mean he can’t continue to be the elite defenseman he has been in years past.

“I know it’s a lot of questions asked about my age and this and that, but trust me, it’s not an issue," Chara said. “If it [wasn’t] an issue last year [when he scored 17 goals], why would it be this year? One year you’re not going to lose everything.

“Like I said, it’s something that the injury did happen and obviously it slows down the whole season. As much as I would like to have a great season, it’s not going to happen when you miss two months off the ice and then it takes about a month just to get your timing back. For sure, it’s not ideal, it’s difficult to deal with, but I will find a way to be [at my top level] again."

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli seems to have no doubt that Chara can get back to that level.

“Z is a player who’s an elite defender in the league and I believe he can maintain that status,” Chiarelli said. “So it’s about recovering and getting ready mentally and physically for his next year. And if there’s anyone that can do that well from a physical and mental conditioning perspective, it would be him.”

If Chara has a healthy offseason, the Bruins will likely lean on him heavily next season as they look to return to the playoffs. And Chara will once again expect to play at a high level, something he suggested he’ll be capable of without hesitation.

“Believe me,” Chara said. “I will be.”