Zdeno Chara Retires From NHL

Zdeno Chara announced via his Instagram that after playing in1680 regular season games in the NHL, at age 45, he is going to retire from the NHL after 25 seasons. Chara is signing a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to retire as a member of the Bruins organization.

Back for one final bow.

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Zdeno Chara will return to @tdgarden this afternoon to sign a one-day contract and retire as a member of the #NHLBruins.

Full details ➡️ https://t.co/9uE8aoid2I pic.twitter.com/WWDfJhePhO

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 20, 2022

Zdeno Chara Retires With the Bruins

Chara will be remembered most for being a Boston Bruin. In 11 of his 14 seasons with the Bruins, including captaining the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup in 2011, the team’s first since 1972. In addition, the Bruins made two more Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 2013 and 2019. Chara ranks sixth in franchise history in games played (1,023) and third in points by a defenceman with 481. Chara only trails Hall Famers Ray Bourque (1,506 points) and Bobby Orr (888 points). That is a good company to keep.

Many people forget Chara was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round in the 1996 NHL Draft. Chara spent four seasons with the Islanders, before being traded to the Ottawa Senators along with the 2001 second overall pick (Jason Spezza). He played four seasons with the Senators including helping them reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2003. Chara then signed with the Bruins as a free agent in the summer of 2006.

Playing most of his career with the Bruins, Chara became a member of the community in Boston. He is one of the players you associate with a team. In addition, to the 1680 regular season games played in the NHL, Chara also played in 200 Stanley Cup Playoff games. In those games, Chara recorded 70 points (18 goals and 52 assists). During the Bruins run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013, Chara set a career-high in playoff points (15), goals (3), and assists (12). Chara ranks first in the NHL with 14 career Game 7 appearances.

Over his 24-year career, Chara received several individual accolades including winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman in 2008-09 after recording a career-high 19 goals along with 31 assists in 80 games with the Bruins. Chara’s career high in assists and points came in 2011-12 when he recorded 40 assists and 52 points.

Along with his NHL success, Chara had great international success as well. He won the silver medal twice with Slovakia at the IIHF World Championship in 2000 and 2012 and also won a silver medal with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

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Towards the End

It was weird to see things come to an end the way they did in Boston for Chara. After losing in the bubble in 2020 a year after going to a Stanley Cup Final, it seemed like the Bruins wanted to get younger on defence and move on from him. He signed with the Washington Capitals for a season before returning to the Islanders last season. With the Islanders, he signed a one-year, $750,000 deal. It was a tough season for him and the Islanders. It just makes sense that it comes full circle for him to retire with the Bruins.

Chara will undoubtedly have his jersey retired at TD Garden and will walk into the Hockey Hall of Fame on the first ballot.