If Patrice Bergeron is cleared to play by doctors, Boston coach Claude Julien will put him in the lineup for the Bruins' Game 7 clash against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 pm ET).

"He really looks good (in practice)," Julien told reporters Sunday. "Yeah, maybe he hasn't played in real-game situations, so there might be some little issues here and there, but the quality of player he is, there's no way you can keep a guy like that out. I wouldn't even consider it."

Boston forward Patrice Bergeron has been out of the lineup since Oct. 27.
(Mary Schwalm/Associated Press)

Bergeron, 22, has been sidelined since suffering a severe head injury last October. The Boston forward has been skating in practice and asked the Bruins' medical staff to play in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference series on Saturday, but was turned down.

The Bruins defeated the Canadiens 5-4 in Boston to tie the best-of-seven series and force a seventh and deciding contest Monday in Montreal.

Bergeron will consult with doctors on Monday to see whether they will clear him to play later that evening.

"I talked to the doctor before (Saturday's) game and didn't get the OK," Bergeron said after skating on Sunday. "We'll see (Monday), but so far I doubt it."

A native of Ancienne-Lorette, Que., Bergeron was hit from behind by Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Randy Jones on Oct. 27, 2007. Bergeron crumpled to the ice, lost consciousness and was taken from the ice on a stretcher.

Bergeron had been participating in one-way contact in practice for the past six weeks — meaning he could hit, but he couldn't take hits or play in games until he returned to full strength.