Simon Gagne remains on indefinite leave from the Bruins to be with his ailing father, Pierre, who is suffering from terminal cancer.

Gagne, 34, released a statement through the Bruins yesterday to explain his situation.

“I have taken a personal leave of absence from the Boston Bruins in order to return home to Quebec to be with my father, who was recently diagnosed with liver cancer,” he said in the statement. “The doctors, who have been great throughout this whole process, unfortunately informed us that his cancer is not curable. I greatly appreciate the support and understanding that the Bruins organization and my teammates have given to me and my family since I let them know the news, and I look forward to rejoining them when the time is appropriate. Until then, I would kindly ask everyone to respect my family and (my) privacy during this difficult time.”

Bruins team president Cam Neely said that it was important for the club to give Gagne time.

“I can speak firsthand. It’s difficult when you’re thousands of miles away and your family, especially your parents, are going through something difficult. It’s hard to keep focus on what you have to do,” said Neely, who lost both his parents during his playing career. “So it’s important for the organization to not only understand that, but respect it and give the player the opportunity to do what they need to do.”

Asked if the club was preparing for a long-term absence, Neely said: “It’s tough to say at this point. It’s really going to boil down to where he feels he needs to be.”

The Bruins, meanwhile, have called up Craig Cunningham from Providence.

Gagne signed with the Bruins Oct. 14 after coming to the B’s on a tryout contract. He decided to take last season off when the Flyers, his team for 11 of his 15 seasons, did not extend him a contract.

He has played mostly with Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille on the Bruins’ fourth line and, while the trio has had some ups and downs this year, it played some of its best hockey on the team’s recent 1-3 West Coast trip. Gagne has 3-1-4 totals in 23 games. Two of his goals have come in the last four games.

B’s up for ‘Z’ return

Though it’s not a sure thing, team captain Zdeno Chara appears to be on track for a return tonight vs. the Blackhawks, which would be a big boost for the B’s.

On the other hand, when teams welcome back big-name players, there can be a natural tendency to unconsciously relax just a bit. The B’s can’t afford even the slightest slippage as they cling to the last playoff spot with just a two-point lead over the Florida Panthers.

“It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen,” coach Claude Julien said. “All we need to do is look at the standings. We just have to look at our record to know there’s no reason to get comfortable here. If anything, we’ve got to pick it up.”

Said Milan Lucic: “That’s the last thing you need to do, is relax. It’s kind of like when you make trades and you get new guys coming in, teams have a tendency to sit back and watch and wait and see what the new guy is going to do. ‘Z’ has been out of the lineup for the last (19) games, there is that tendency to sit back and watch and expect him to do everything. Unfortunately, you can’t do that. You have to keep pushing and push with him. You know he’s going to be excited to come back and establish his presence early, as early as he can. And you have to be right there with him with that emotion.”

Judging by the defense pairings in practice the last two days, Chara will skate with Dougie Hamilton, Dennis Seidenberg will be with Kevan Miller and Torey Krug will skate with Zach Trotman. . . .

Defenseman David Warsofsky, who’d been rehabbing a groin injury, was returned to Providence.