By Jordan Long
One of the best defensemen to ever play the NHL game has called it a career. Zendo Chara walked away after 24 years. Let’s look back at his time in the NHL.
Chara stood at 6 foot 9 inches, the tallest player in the history of the NHL. Not only did he have one of the hardest shots but he could check players off the puck, ending scoring chances.
Chara started his career back in the 1997-98 season with the New York Islanders. That year he appeared in 25 games, with 1 assist, a taste of what he could do at the NHL level. His top year for the Islanders occurred in 2000 when he put up 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points. The Islanders never earned a playoff spot with him on the team.
Chara moved on to the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2001-2002 season. This is where he ended up being more of an offensive defenseman. Chara put up 20 or more points every season in Ottawa, lasting from 2001 to 2006. His best year in Ottawa was in 2006. Chara scored 16 goals and added 27 assists for a total of 43 points. The Senators earned a playoff spot with him every year. The furthest they advanced to was the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003. They lost to the New Jersey Devils in 7 games. The Devils ended up winning the Cup that year.
In 2006, Chara decided to sign with the Boston Bruins, the place where he had the most success. He stuck with Boston until 2020, a total of 14 years. There he lit the lamp 148 times while adding 333 assists. Chara won his only Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2009. That year Chara had 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points. The Bruins ended up going to the playoffs 11 times winning the Stanley Cup in 2011, Chara’s only Stanley Cup victory.
In the playoffs, Chara played well for Boston. In 150 playoff games for Boston he scored 15 goals while adding 41 assists for a total of 56 points.
On December 20th, 2020, Chara agreed to a 1-year contract with the Washington Capitals. He didn’t have the same success in Washington as he did in Boston. He tallied 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points. The Capitals earned a playoff spot, but were beaten in the 1st-round by the Boston Bruins.
Chara ended his career this past season with the New York Islanders. He proved he couldn’t play the NHL game at a high level anymore. Chara scored 2 goals and 12 assists for a total of 14 points.
Once the year was over, Chara was deciding what was best for him. He concluded it was time to walk away from the NHL game. Chara chose to sign a contract to retire as a member of the Boston Bruins where he was most successful.
According to ESPN.com, Chara said, “I am honored to return to TD Garden today to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and officially finish my career with the team that has meant so much to me and my family”.
Chara will go down as one of the best defenseman in the NHL. He totaled 209 goals which ranks 21st in NHL history among defensemen. Chara could always use his shot from the blue line to score on the power play which he did 93 times. Chara added 471 assists throughout his NHL career. His total amount of points stands at 680.
Chara should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point. He deserves this highest honor. Chara proved he was one of the best defenseman to play the game of hockey.
Leave a Reply