Christian Renzi
The Boston Bruins announced today that Zdeno Chara has signed a one year deal worth 5 million. I’m happy to have Big Z back for at least one more year. He’s been such an important part of the Boston sports culture over the last decade and it’s going to be a sad moment when he decides to hang it up. I also think Chara is a great mentor for Charlie McAvoy, who will eventually be our number one defesmen and a leader on this team.
With Chara at least semi-close to retirement it begs the question of whether or not the Bruins would ever hang his number in the rafters alongside other Bruins greats. The last Bruin to have his number raised was also a defenseman, a guy that you’ve probably heard of if you semi follow hockey. His name is Ray Bourque and he now owns some sorta restaurant in the North End of Boston.
I personally feel like he won’t have his number retired. The only Bruin I could see in this era getting that honor would be our lord and savior, Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron might be the best defense forward the game has ever seen, winning four Selke trophies and most likely winning his fifth this year, a feat that no one else has been able to achieve. Chara did win a Norris Trophy, as the best defensemen in the league in 2009, but has not been able to capture it since.
With that being said I can't state enough how much Chara has meant to me as a Bruins fan since he signed with the team over a decade ago. The Bruins were not a good team in the mid 2000s and many feel that they engaged themselves in a lopsided trade when they sent Joe Thornton to the Sharks in exchange for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeu, and Brad Stuart.
On July 1, 2006 Chara signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins and was named team captain. This signing would change the Bruins fortunes over the next ten years.
It’s honestly amazing that a guy who is 6ft. 9 and 41 years old is still able to make such a huge impact on this team. Chara is definitely better this year than the past few seasons because he has other competent defensemen around him which allows him to limit his ice time. One of the best things about Chara is that he leaves it all out on the ice night after night. He truly has the work ethic of Tom Brady and that’s why I’m calling it the ZC33 Method. Chara actually rides parts of the Tour de France for fun in the off season.
When he does decide to hang up his skates I hope the last NHL jersey he ever wears is a Bruins uniform. He’s given me so many great memories over the years, the obvious one being the 2011 Stanley Cup win. But there were other smaller moments that he was involved him that truly made him special.
In 2014 the Bruins played the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs. In game two Red Wings defenseman, Brendan Smith actually challenged Chara to a fight. Chara, who towered over Smith just laughed at him, and before the incredible beat down could occur the referees broke up the fight, thus saving Smith’s life.
The most terrifying smile I've ever seen.
There was also a great moment in 2013 when Chara showed just how athletic he was by spinning around a Florida Panthers defenseman before scoring a highlight reel goal that you normally see from players like, Brad Marchand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF0yniA1NaI
I was a little salty about Rask haters in my last article and I’m a little salty about people that gave Chara shit over the last few years. The guy has given everything to the Bruins and he deserves an extension. I think the only way for him to go out would be winning the next two Stanley Cups in a row.
Side note. Everyone should check out Chara’s Instagram that he created this year. It’s extremely wholesome and really shows that he’s a gentle giant.
https://www.instagram.com/zeechara33/?hl=en
Here’s to you Big Z! I’m excited to see you lift the cup eight feet in the air again.
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