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Zdeno Chára

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Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chara - Boston Bruins 2016.jpg
Chára with the Boston Bruins in 2016
Born (1977-03-18) 18 March 1977 (age 47)
Trenčín, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 9 in (206 cm)
Weight 250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Sparta Praha
New York Islanders
Dukla Trenčín
Ottawa Senators
Färjestad BK
Boston Bruins
Lev Praha
Washington Capitals
National team  Slovakia
NHL draft 56th overall, 1996
New York Islanders
Playing career 1996–2022

Zdeno Chára (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈzdenɔ ˈxaːra]; born 18 March 1977) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals between 1997 and 2022. Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) tall, Chára is the tallest person ever to play in the NHL,[1] earning him the nickname "Big Z".

Chára served as the Bruins' captain for all of his fourteen seasons with the franchise, from 2006 to 2020. He won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman in 2009, becoming the first Slovak player to do so, and the second European player after Nicklas Lidström. In 2011, 2013 and 2019 Chára captained the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals, winning in 2011. He is one of four European-born and raised captains to lead his team to the Stanley Cup championship, and the first to be born and trained in the Eastern Bloc.[notes 1] In 2022, Chára played in his 1,652nd NHL game, making him the league's all-time leader in games played by a defenseman.

Playing career

New York Islanders (1997–2001)

After being passed over in the 1995 draft, Chára was drafted in the third round, 56th overall, by the New York Islanders at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.[2] He would spend his first season in North America with the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Prince George Cougars, who subsequently selected Chára in that year's CHL Import Draft. Chára spent four seasons with the Islanders organization, becoming a reliable, stay-at-home defender in a primarily defensive role. He earned a reputation as a tough player to play against – intimidating, physically strong and a punishing hitter who could, on occasion, fight. His physical strength also gave him a very hard slap shot, which seemed to improve each and every season, although Chára was never deployed in an offensive role as an Islander. Chára was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as part of a deal to acquire forward Alexei Yashin. At the time, it was believed the deal would vastly improve the Islanders, who were never a contending team when Chára played there. Chára was part of a package deal that included Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick from that year's draft, which the Senators used to select Jason Spezza. The Islanders initially had a trade in place to send Chára to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Jason Allison, but team ownership nixed the deal because it would have involved Dave Scatchard, who they did not want to trade because they "liked Dave Scatchard because he visited sick kids in the hospital."[3]

Ottawa Senators (2001–2006)

Chára during his tenure with the Ottawa Senators in 2006

The Senators knew from observation Chára would be a reliable defender, and were also aware he was growing into his body and improving his skills each year. However, Chára grew in ways that exceeded all expectations. In 2001–02, during his first year in Ottawa, he recorded new career highs in goals (10) and points (23) as he turned into a bona fide two-way defenceman. His powerful slapshot continued to improve, and Ottawa began to deploy him on the power play to use it, something the Islanders had rarely done. It resulted in four of Chára's goals being scored with the man advantage that season. The following year, in 2002–03, Chára began to blossom into an elite NHL defenceman. He posted new career highs with 30 assists and 39 points and became one of Ottawa's top two defenders, along with Wade Redden. He also earned his first NHL All-Star Game appearance, where he recorded the second-hardest shot behind Al MacInnis in the Skills Competition.[4]

In 2003–04, Chára posted career bests with 16 goals and 41 points, and recorded the NHL's third highest plus-minus rating, behind Martin St. Louis and Marek Malík, culminating in his first James Norris Memorial Trophy nomination. Although he lost to Scott Niedermayer as the NHL's top defenceman, he joined Niedermayer on the NHL first All-Star team.

After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, in which Chára played in the Swedish Elitserien for Färjestad BK, he matched his previous NHL season's 16-goal total and tallied a career best 43 points, good enough for NHL second All-Star team honors. Following the season, Ottawa was faced with the possible loss of its two top defencemen – Chára and Redden – and finances dictated they could only sign one; the Senators opted for Redden. As Chára did not come to terms on a new contract with Ottawa, he became an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2005–06. Choosing Redden over Chára proved to be a mistake, as Redden's performance declined whereas Chára become one of the league's top defensemen.

Boston Bruins (2006–2020)

Early years in Boston, Norris Trophy and the Stanley Cup

On 1 July 2006, the first day of the free agency period, Chára signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with the Boston Bruins[5] and was named the team's captain, a role left vacant since Joe Thornton's departure to San Jose during the 2005–06 season. Chára became only the third Slovak-born NHL player to become a team captain, after Peter Šťastný of the Quebec Nordiques and Stan Mikita (co-captain) of the Chicago Blackhawks.[6] Chára was named to the 2007 NHL All-Star Game (his second appearance) in Dallas and scored two goals in a 12–9 Eastern Conference loss. Chára also won the hardest shot segment of the preceding Skills Competition, clocking a shot at 100.4 mph.[7] While his season was a personal success for many of these reasons, the Bruins were in a rebuilding mode at the time, and the signing was questioned throughout the NHL, as Chára posted an uncharacteristic −21 plus-minus rating that season due to the Bruins' struggles. However, his 32 assists were a new career high.

Chára (left), head coach Dave Lewis (center) and Phil Kessel (right) on Columbus Day with the crew of the USS Doyle, 2006.

In 2007–08, Chára was voted a starter in the 2008 NHL All-Star Game, the first time in his career he received such All-Star Game honours. He repeated as the winner of the hardest shot competition, recording an even-faster 103.1 mph (166 km/h) on the radar gun.[8] On 8 March 2008, during a game against the Washington Capitals, Chára suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. However, after missing five games, he played the remainder of the season, including the 2008 playoffs. Upon a first-round elimination at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens, he underwent a shoulder operation on 29 April.[9] At the end of the season, Chára received his second nomination for the Norris Trophy after tallying a career-high 17 goals, 34 assists and 51 points, marking the fifth-straight season he had either matched or bested his previous season's points total. The Bruins improved tremendously this season, and the critics who had questioned the Bruins' signing of Chára the previous season were largely silenced by his, and the team's, improved play.

Chára with the Bruins in February 2009

In 2008–09, Chára was named to his fourth All-Star Game.[10] As back-to-back champion of the hardest shot competition, Chára initiated a charity drive among the participants ($1,000 per player) to go to the charity of choice of the competition's winner. The 2009 installation of the event featured additional intrigue, as three players widely considered to possess the hardest shots in the NHL (Chára, Sheldon Souray and Shea Weber) had all been chosen as All-Stars, and therefore would participate in the event. Having raised $24,000 from the six competitors and their respective teams, the NHL and the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA), Chára set a new Skills Competition record with a 105.4 mph (169.7 km/h) slapshot. He donated the winnings to Right to Play,[11] and due to Chára's leading role in fundraising for charity, the hardest shot competition that year was punningly dubbed a "Chara"ty event.[12] The shot passed Al Iafrate's previous record of 105.2 mph (169.3 km/h) from the 1993 competition. During the season, Chára posted a career best 19 goals and eclipsed his career best points total, reaching the 50-point plateau for the second consecutive year with a goal and an assist in his final game of the season. For his efforts, he won his first Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman, edging Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Lidström of the Detroit Red Wings.[13] Chára would post another standout season in 2009–10, scoring 44 points. His goal total fell to seven from the year before, but his play was as strong as ever, leading the Bruins to lock him up long-term with a contract extension; on 9 October 2010, he re-signed with the Bruins on a seven-year contract.[14]

In 2010–11, Chára's 14 goals and 44 points were another strong campaign, leading to yet another All-Star selection and new heights as his slapshot continued to break records at the 2011 All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina. He eclipsed his own previous record with a shot clocked at 105.9 mph (170.43 km/h). He also achieved a personal milestone that is exceptionally rare for a defenceman; on 17 January 2011, Chára recorded his first career hat-trick against the Carolina Hurricanes in a 7–0 victory. He celebrated the feat by performing retired Slovak NHL star Peter Bondra's celebration, where he mimed throwing a hat into the air.[15] The 2010–11 season culminated in the ultimate glory for Chára, as he captained the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup against the Vancouver Canucks, the Boston team's first Stanley Cup championship win since 1972.[16] In so doing, Chára became the first Slovak to captain a Stanley Cup champion, and only the second European to do so after Nicklas Lidström of Sweden for the Detroit Red Wings. He also became the first player born in a country behind the Iron Curtain to captain a Stanley Cup winner.

Chára hoisting the Stanley Cup during the Bruins' 2011 victory parade

2011 Pacioretty incident

On 8 March 2011, Chára hit and drove Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty's head directly into an off-ice stanchion at the end of the bench, knocking him unconscious. Pacioretty was taken off the ice on a stretcher.[17] The extent of the injury was revealed the next day to be a non-displaced fracture to the 4th vertebra and a severe concussion.[18] For delivering the hit, Chára received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and videotape of the play was sent to NHL vice president of hockey operations Mike Murphy for review. However, Murphy decided no further punishment was warranted, calling it a "hockey play".[19] Although a criminal investigation was announced by the Montreal Police Service immediately after the incident,[20] the Crown Prosecutor Office announced on 17 November 2011, that Chára would not be criminally charged.[21] Pacioretty eventually made a full recovery, returning to Montreal the following season. The following season the NHL tested and later mandated a change to its rinks to have a curved glass at the end of the player benches to deflect similar impact.[22]

Final years in Boston

At the 2012 All-Star Game's Hardest Shot skill competition, Chára yet again raised his measured hardest slap shot velocity to another record, attaining 108.8 mph (175.1 km/h). Runner-up Shea Weber surpassed Chara's 2011 event record by recording a 106.0 mph blast in the same contest, but Chára's performance ensured he kept his title.[23]

Chára with the Bruins in February 2012

Chára is widely considered to have the hardest slapshot in the NHL, and quite possibly the world – the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) claims the world record belongs to Alex Riazantsev at 114.1 mph, but due to differences in the mechanics of the KHL competition, the NHL does not recognize this figure.[24] Chára won the hardest shot competition at the All-Star Game Skills Competition five times in a row, in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 (Note: there was no NHL All-Star Game in 2010, due to NHL player participation in the 2010 Winter Olympics, and also in 2013 as a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout). Chára played his 1,000th career NHL game on 24 March 2012 against the Los Angeles Kings, and it ended with a 4–2 victory for the Bruins.

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Chara agreed to play for Lev Praha of the KHL until NHL play resumed.[25] He returned from the lockout to post another solid season, with 7 goals and 12 assists in the 48-game season. His point totals were down due to some of Boston's struggles down the stretch, particularly on the power play, where Chára only posted one assist all season despite plenty of ice time in man advantage situations. However, he remained solid on defence and a key contributor for the Bruins. In the 2013 playoffs, he was physically dominant and played a key role in leading his team to the Finals.[26][27]

Following the 2013–14 season, Chára was named a finalist for the Norris Trophy. He was nominated along with eventual winner Duncan Keith and Shea Weber. Chára finished runner-up in the voting.[28]

Chára in 2012 while with Lev Praha of the KHL during the 2012–13 NHL lockout

By the time the 2016–17 season had started, Chára was skating as part of the Bruins' top defensive pairing beside 6-foot-5-inch rookie defenceman Brandon Carlo, nearly 20 years younger than him.[29] A similar "pairing" for Chára occurred as the 2017–18 season got going: the American-born star rookie defenceman Charlie McAvoy had, by mid-November of the new Bruins season, become Chára's latest "regular" defensive partner for the Bruins.[30] By early February 2018, Chára played in his 1,400th NHL game in a 4–1 home ice defeat of the Toronto Maple Leafs, only the 39th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.[31] On 28 March 2018, the Bruins re-signed Chára to a one-year, $5 million contract extension.[32] On 17 April 2019, in game 4 of the first round series between the Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, Chára became the oldest defenceman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs.[33][non-primary source needed] On 9 June 2019, during game 6 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues, Chára scored an empty net goal and as a result became the oldest defenceman in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals.[34][non-primary source needed]

On 10 July 2019, following the retirement of Matt Cullen, Chára became the oldest active NHL player. On 5 November 2019, during a game at the Bell Centre against the Montreal Canadiens, Chára became the 21st player in NHL history to play 1,500 regular season games.[35]

Washington Capitals (2020–2021)

On 30 December 2020, Chára signed a one-year, $795,000 contract with the Washington Capitals.[36] He scored his first goal with the team on 28 January 2021, against the New York Islanders.[citation needed]

Return to the Islanders and retirement (2021–2022)

On 18 September 2021, it was announced that Chára had signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders.[37] On 24 February 2022, Chára played his 1,652nd NHL game, surpassing Chris Chelios' record of 1,651 games played by a defenceman.[38] At the end of the season, he was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey".[39]

On 20 September 2022, Chára announced his retirement from professional hockey. He signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to officially retire as a member of the team.[40][41]

International


Chara at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2000 Saint Petersburg
Silver medal – second place 2012 Helsinki/Stockholm
Representing Team Europe
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2016 Toronto

Chára represented Slovakia in ten international tournaments, having played in the World Championships (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012) and the Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014). He won a World Championship silver medal in 2000, later captaining Slovakia to his second silver medal in 2012. He also competed in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey for Slovakia and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe.

During the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Chára served as the flag bearer for Slovakia.[42]

In 2020, Chára was named into the IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team.

Personal life

Before he was drafted into the NHL,[43] Chára's coaches in his native Slovakia attempted to persuade him to play basketball, due to his height.[44] Also as a result of his height, Chára uses 67-inch sticks (four inches longer than NHL regulations), and receives a waiver from the NHL to do so.[45]

Chára married his long-time girlfriend Tatiana Biskupicová on 14 July 2007, in a Catholic church in Nemšová, Slovakia.[46] Tatiana gave birth to the couple's first child, daughter Elliz Victoria Chára (Chárová), on 27 April 2009.[47] On 7 March 2016, Chára became a father to twin boys, Zack and Ben. All three of their children were born in Boston. His father, Zdeněk Chára, was a prominent Greco-Roman wrestler.[48]

Chára is an athletic ambassador for Right To Play. In July 2008, he spent two weeks in Africa, visiting Mozambique in support of the charity, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with former NHL player Robyn Regehr.[49][50]

Chára was one of the first NHL players to endorse You Can Play and acceptance of gay players in professional hockey.[51]

Chára is a polyglot, speaking six languages outside of his native Slovak: Czech, Polish, Swedish, Russian, German, and English.[52] He also has a financial planning diploma from Ottawa's Algonquin College.[53] In early 2015, Chára received a license to sell real estate in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[53]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994–95 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 30 22 22 44 113 — — — — —
1994–95 Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1995–96 Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 22 1 13 14 80 — — — — —
1995–96 Dukla Trenčín II SVK.2 5 1 1 2 6 — — — — —
1995–96 ŠHK 37 Piešťany SVK.2 10 1 3 4 10 — — — — —
1995–96 Sparta Praha CZE U20 15 1 2 3 42 — — — — —
1995–96 Sparta Praha ELH 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1996–97 Prince George Cougars WHL 49 3 19 22 120 15 1 7 8 45
1997–98 Kentucky Thoroughblades AHL 48 4 9 13 125 1 0 0 0 4
1997–98 New York Islanders NHL 25 0 1 1 50 — — — — —
1998–99 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 23 2 2 4 47 — — — — —
1998–99 New York Islanders NHL 59 2 6 8 83 — — — — —
1999–2000 New York Islanders NHL 65 2 9 11 57 — — — — —
2000–01 New York Islanders NHL 82 2 7 9 157 — — — — —
2001–02 Dukla Trenčín SVK 8 2 2 4 32 — — — — —
2001–02 Ottawa Senators NHL 75 10 13 23 156 10 0 1 1 12
2002–03 Ottawa Senators NHL 74 9 30 39 116 18 1 6 7 14
2003–04 Ottawa Senators NHL 79 16 25 41 147 7 1 1 2 8
2004–05 Färjestad BK SEL 33 10 15 25 132 13 3 5 8 82
2005–06 Ottawa Senators NHL 71 16 27 43 135 10 1 3 4 23
2006–07 Boston Bruins NHL 80 11 32 43 100 — — — — —
2007–08 Boston Bruins NHL 77 17 34 51 114 7 1 1 2 12
2008–09 Boston Bruins NHL 80 19 31 50 95 11 1 3 4 12
2009–10 Boston Bruins NHL 80 7 37 44 87 13 2 5 7 29
2010–11 Boston Bruins NHL 81 14 30 44 88 24 2 7 9 34
2011–12 Boston Bruins NHL 79 12 40 52 86 7 1 2 3 8
2012–13 Lev Praha KHL 25 4 6 10 24 — — — — —
2012–13 Boston Bruins NHL 48 7 12 19 70 22 3 12 15 20
2013–14 Boston Bruins NHL 77 17 23 40 66 12 2 2 4 14
2014–15 Boston Bruins NHL 63 8 12 20 42 — — — — —
2015–16 Boston Bruins NHL 79 9 28 37 71 — — — — —
2016–17 Boston Bruins NHL 75 10 19 29 59 6 0 1 1 2
2017–18 Boston Bruins NHL 73 7 17 24 60 12 1 2 3 4
2018–19 Boston Bruins NHL 62 5 9 14 57 23 2 4 6 16
2019–20 Boston Bruins NHL 68 5 9 14 60 13 0 2 2 8
2020–21 Washington Capitals NHL 55 2 8 10 44 5 0 0 0 2
2021–22 New York Islanders NHL 72 2 12 14 85 — — — — —
NHL totals 1,680 209 471 680 2,085 200 18 52 70 218

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1999 Slovakia WC 7th 6 1 0 1 6
2000 Slovakia WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 9 0 0 0 12
2001 Slovakia WC 7th 7 0 1 1 10
2004 Slovakia WC 4th 9 2 0 2 2
2004 Slovakia WCH 7th 4 0 2 2 8
2005 Slovakia WC 5th 7 0 2 2 2
2006 Slovakia OG 5th 6 1 1 2 2
2007 Slovakia WC 6th 7 3 1 4 4
2010 Slovakia OG 4th 7 0 3 3 6
2012 Slovakia WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 10 2 2 4 4
2014 Slovakia OG 11th 4 0 1 1 4
2016 Team Europe WCH 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 2 0 2 6
Senior totals 82 11 13 24 66

Awards, honors and records

Award Year
AHL
AHL All-Star Game 1998
AHL All-Rookie Team 1998
NHL
NHL All-Star Game 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
NHL first All-Star team 2004, 2009, 2014
NHL second All-Star team 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012
NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition Hardest Shot Winner 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
James Norris Memorial Trophy 2009
Stanley Cup champion 2011
Mark Messier Leadership Award 2011
International
IIHF World Championship Silver Medal 2000, 2012
IIHF World Championship All-Star team 2004, 2012
IIHF World Championship Best Defenseman 2012
World Cup of Hockey Silver Medal 2016
IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team 2020
Boston Bruins
John P. Bucyk Award 2008, 2019
Bruins Three Stars Awards 2009
Eddie Shore Award 2012

Records

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Nicklas Lidström of the Detroit Red Wings, a native of Sweden, was the first European captain to win the Stanley Cup. Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, a native of Russia, was the third to accomplish the feat. Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche was the fourth.

References

  1. ^ "Tallest player in NHL ice hockey". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Zdeno Chara #33". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  3. ^ Kurz, Kevin. "Zdeno Chara's path from Islanders mystery prospect to the NHL record books: 'He made himself a player'". The Athletic. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  4. ^ "MacInnis has still got NHL's hardest shot". CNN Sports Illustrated. 1 February 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  5. ^ "Bruins sign Chara to five-year deal". ESPN. 1 July 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  6. ^ "Chara named Bruins captain". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 3 October 2006. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  7. ^ "Crosby, East win SuperSkills competition". ESPN. 25 January 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  8. ^ Allen, Kevin (26 January 2008). "Ovechkin, Chara dazzle in NHL All-Star prelude". USA Today. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  9. ^ "Bruins D Chara has shoulder surgery". Yahoo!. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  10. ^ Shinzawa, Fluto (9 January 2009). "Chara, Thomas and Savard added to all-star team". Boston Globe. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  11. ^ "Charitable Chara wins NHL's hardest-shot competition". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 January 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
  12. ^ van Steendelaar, Kevin (24 January 2009). "2009 NHL All-Star Game: Hardest Shot Contest: Now a "Chara"ty Event!". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  13. ^ "ZDENO CHARA WINS FIRST NORRIS TROPHY, BEATS NICKLAS LIDSTROM". thehockeynews.com. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  14. ^ Roarke, Shawn P. (9 October 2010). "Bruins, Chara agree to 7-year contract extension". National Hockey League. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  15. ^ Wyshynski, Greg (18 January 2011). "Peter Bondra on Zdeno Chára borrowing his hat-trick celebration". Yahoo. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  16. ^ "Bruins capture Stanley Cup". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 24 August 1912.
  17. ^ "Max Pacioretty taken off ice on stretcher / Video". National Hockey League. 8 March 2011.
  18. ^ "Fractured Vertebra for Pacioretty". The Gazette (Montreal). 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
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  22. ^ "League to test curved glass at player benches". National Hockey League. 17 August 2011.
  23. ^ Erin Nicks, National Hockey League.com Correspondent (28 January 2012). "Chara sets record while keeping Hardest Shot title". National Hockey League. Retrieved 28 January 2012. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  24. ^ Greg Wyshynski (21 January 2012). "KHL's Alexander Ryazantsev sets new 'world record' for hardest shot at 114 mph". Yahoo. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  25. ^ Kevin Allen (2 October 2012). "Bruins' Zdeno Chara leads day's exodus to Europe". USA Today. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  26. ^ Cox, Damien (15 June 2013). "Stanley Cup: Being a Bruin has brought out best in Zdeno Chara". Toronto Star. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  27. ^ Scibetta, Nicholas (17 June 2013). "Zdeno Chara punishes Bryan Bickell". SBNation.com. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  28. ^ Roarke, Shawn (24 June 2014). "Keith wins Norris Trophy for second time". National Hockey League. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  29. ^ Switaj, Karen (13 November 2016). "Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo Make a Unique Pair". nhl.bruins.com. Boston Bruins. Retrieved 13 November 2016. Brandon Carlo used to be the tallest player on his team. When the 6-foot-5 defenceman would head out to the ice, the process was as simple as taking the tallest stick from the stick rack. Now, it requires a bit more notice. Carlo's defence partner these days, standing at 6-foot-9, happens to have a few inches on him. "Now, I come and I look at all the stick racks, and my sticks, I can rarely find them because they look the same size as everybody else's compared next to his," Carlo laughed. "It's pretty crazy." Everything these days is pretty crazy for the young blueliner, who has spent his first days in the NHL being paired with Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara.
  30. ^ Russo, Eric (17 November 2017). "No Passengers Approach Serves Bruins Well". nhl.com/bruins. National Hockey League. Retrieved 11 February 2018. All of Boston's offense came from its first defence pairing, as Charlie McAvoy kicked off the scoring with a stellar individual effort in the first period, while Zdeno Chára grabbed the winner with a slapper from the point late in the second.
  31. ^ Kalman, Matt (3 February 2018). "Rask extends point streak to 20 in Bruins win against Maple Leafs". nhl.com/bruins. National Hockey League. Retrieved 11 February 2018. "Need to know"...Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara became the 39th player to play 1,400 NHL games
  32. ^ Johnston, Chris (28 March 2018). "Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to one-year extension with reachable bonuses". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  33. ^ @PR_NHL (17 April 2019). "Zdeno Chara (42 years, 30 days) of the @NHLBruins is the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. #NHLStats" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ^ @StatsCentre (10 June 2019). "Hitting an empty net for the 5th & final @NHLBruins goal of Gm6 on Sunday night, Zdeno Chara became the oldest on this list of #StanleyCup Final goal scorers from the blueline" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. ^ "Chara excited for 1,500th NHL game". NBC Sports Boston. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Capitals Sign Defenseman Zdeno Chara". NHL.com. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Islanders Agree To Terms On One-Year Contract With Chara". NHL.com. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  38. ^ "NHL Celebrates Zdeno Chara's Milestone". NHL.com. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  39. ^ "Chara, Hayes, Price named finalists for 2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy". Sportsnet. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  40. ^ "Chara retires from NHL, will sign one-day contract with Bruins". NHL.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  41. ^ "Chara to sign one-day contract to retire with Bruins". TSN.ca. 20 September 2022.
  42. ^ "Bruins' Chara to carry Slovakia flag at Olympics". National Hockey League. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  43. ^ "Zdeno Chara Slapshot".
  44. ^ Robinson, Joshua (2009). 30 Seconds with Zdeno Chara – Standing Up Tall for Himself. The New York Times, 7 March 2009
  45. ^ "NHL players mighty particular when it comes to their sticks – The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  46. ^ Shinzawa, Fluto (8 July 2007). "Hamill a true surprise pick". Boston Globe. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  47. ^ "Boston Bruin Zdeno Chara Welcomes Daughter Elliz Victoria". People. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  48. ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (25 August 2006). "Perfect fit". Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  49. ^ Simpson, Rob. "Chara's Challenge: Zee vs. The Mountain". Bruins.com. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  50. ^ Simpson, Rob. "Bruins, Boots and Blisters". Bruins.com. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  51. ^ "Zdeno Chara, Jason Pominville, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres". The You Can Play Project. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  52. ^ Bishop, John (2010). "Bruins by the Numbers: 33". BostonBruins.Com. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  53. ^ a b Chesto, Jon; Benjamin, Amalie (7 February 2015). "Zdeno Chara scores a new goal in getting real estate license". Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  54. ^ "Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara named to NHL's All-Decade second team". Yahoo! Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  55. ^ "Bruins' Zdeno Chara set Stanley Cup record in Game 6, will set another in Game 7". NBC Sports Boston. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  56. ^ @pr_nhl (17 April 2019). "Zdeno Chara (42 years, 30 days) of the @NHLBruins is the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. #NHLStats" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  57. ^ @SNstats (9 June 2019). "#NHLBruins Zdeno Chara: Oldest defenceman to score a goal in the #StanleyCup Final" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  58. ^ "Isles' Chara breaks Chelios' games-played record". ESPN.com. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
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