NHL Legend claims people laughed at Zdeno Chara

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Josh tupper
September 22, 2022 (3:21 PM)

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This week Zdeno Chara announced his retirement after a Hall of Fame worthy career. After playing nearly 1700 career games the veteran defenseman decided it was time to hang up his skates and focus on other aspects of his life. With that decision has come an outpouring of love and admiration for Chara, and for his career.

One player who truly wanted to recognize Chara for his incredible career was Jaromir Jagr, the NHL legend himself. Jagr, who had the chance to play against Chara on multiple occasions had extremely high praises for Big Z. Jagr spoke about how no one in Slovakia had any belief that Chara could ever make it in the pro game due to his enormous size.

Jagr shared the following comments with iSport.cz:

His journey is an incredible story...Nobody believed in him, he didn't even get a proper chance. They laughed at him. He proved with his will and hard work, and he became the best defenseman in the NHL in a few years.

It was because of his height, his range, but also his strength. I had nothing to surprise him with.

When I had a small player playing against me, I tried to beat him with my strength. If he was slow and strong, I'd play with speed. But I had nothing to surprise Chara. That's why it was the hardest for me to play against him.

There was 100% a huge mutual respect. We were close to each other also because we're not that far apart in age.

At the end of Chara's career he retires with both a Norris Trophy and a Stanley Cup Title. With no one laughing at his abilities anymore, Chara paved the way for a modern type of defenseman the likes of which no one has seen before. It's likely only a matter of time before the kid everyone laughed at, is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame where he belongs.