By Leon Lifschutz | Follow me @BruinsBreakdown
After a 14-year tenure with the Boston Bruins, Zdeno Chara is now a Washington Capital. The Caps will be the fourth team of his 22-year NHL career with a stop in Ottawa after being drafted and starting his career with the New York Islanders. The consummate team captain will leave a giant hole, figuratively and literally, as he departs to a pandemic created division rival.
Chara ends his Bruins’ tenure having played 1,023 games and posting 481 points. For the first half of his tenure, he regularly ranked amongst the top-five in Norris Trophy voting. The six-foot, nine-inch Slovakian was most notably a part of the 2011 Boston Bruins Stanley Cup team also winning the Mark Messier leadership award in the same season.
Chara, who signed a one-year deal worth $795K with the Capitals, shared a heartfelt farewell to the city of Boston and the Bruins organization. In regards to the reason for his departure, he shared, “Recently, the Boston Bruins have informed me that they plan to move forward with their many younger talented players and I respect their decision.”
Time will tell if moving on from the captain, and Torey Krug earlier in the off-season will pay dividends on the ice for the Bruins. Regardless, Bruins’ fans and the Bruins’ organization were lucky to have such a fearless and talented leader for many years. We at blackngoldhockey.com wish Chara well, just not the eight times Big Z patrols the opposing blueline this upcoming season.
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