The Boston Bruins were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in game 5 in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Questions were swirling about if it could have been Zdeno Chara’s last game in the NHL. He says he has no plans to retire.
Chara finished his 22nd year in the NHL and 14th in Boston. This season Chara proved he could still play at a high level. He scored 5 goals and added 9 assists for 14 points, the same total as last year. The Bruins even had the most points in the NHL when it was suspended due to the COVID 19 Pandemic at 100 points.
When the NHL restarted, Boston was in the round-robin to determine the top 4 seeds in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, they ended up as the 4th seed. They beat the Carolina Hurricanes in 5 games in the 1st-round before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chara managed 2 assists for the Bruins in the playoffs.
Chara would like to be back in Boston next year. According to ESPN, Chara said, “I want to be a Boston Bruin. I want to continue to lead by example and share my experiences and my game skills with the younger players and my teammates. That hasn’t changed. I’m committed, and we’ll see what’s going to happen next.”
Chara is a free agent. The biggest problem with him is his age at 43. During next season, he will turn 44. There aren’t many skaters who play hockey at 44.
Chara should decide to hang up his skates. There is nothing left for him to play for. He scored 205 goals and 451 assists for a total of 656 points. The points are the 30th most by a defenseman in NHL history. Chara has been voted into 6 All-Star Games and won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2009 as the league’s top defenseman. The Bruins won the Cup with him in 2011. Chara will take his time determining his future. It is probably best for him to walk away.
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