Bruins' Marc Savard out for season due to concussion

Boston Bruins Marc Savard (C) is congratulated at the bench by team mates after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second period of their NHL hockey game in Toronto January 3, 2011.

BOSTON (Reuters) - Center Marc Savard has been shut down for the rest of the season by the Boston Bruins due to post-concussion symptoms, the NHL club announced at a news conference Monday.

Savard, 33, suffered the fourth concussion of his career and the second in 10 months on Jan 22 against the Avalanche in Colorado when his head hit the glass following a hit by former team mate Matt Hunwick.

"Still some headaches off and on," Savard told reporters at TD Garden, adding that he also has spells of dizziness.

"I think the thing that scares me the most are little memory things, where I forget that I've asked someone a question, or little things like that that scare me."

Team physician Peter Asnis said Savard has showed some improvement and would return to Boston from his Ontario home in a few weeks for further testing.

Savard was sidelined for the first 23 games this season while dealing with concussion-related symptoms from a hit last March.

The Canadian made his 2010-11 season debut on Dec 2, and will finish the campaign with just two goals and 10 points in 25 games played.

Savard was placed on long-term injured reserve, meaning he was ruled out of regular season and post-season play and Bruins can exceed the NHL's salary cap in order to replace him.

In an NHL career spanning 12-plus seasons with the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Bruins, two-time All-Star Savard has 207 goals and 706 points in 807 games.

(Writing by Larry Fine in New York, Editing by Steve Ginsburg)