Zdeno Chara expected to announce his retirement at end of season
Zdeno Chara has had an unbelievable career, he's a first ballot Hall of Famer, without question. Chara, 45, is currently the oldest player in the NHL and the 4th oldest position player in NHL history. At 6'9 and 250 lbs., Chara has always been an incredibly imposing physical presence.
Chara has played in 1675 career games where he's scored 208 goals, while adding 469 assists. He won the Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins, while also capturing the 2009 Norris Trophy. Chara was also apart of developing the winning culture the Bruins were known for.
Now as father time begins to catch up to Chara it appears the legendary defenseman may be nearing the end. After spending 14-years with the Bruins, Chara was forced to move on to continue his NHL career. Last season he joined the Washington Capitals, before coming full circle and returning to the New York Islanders where he began his career.
Unfortunately it seems as though Chara has finally began to lose what foot speed he had left. Anyone who has watched Chara this season can see the big man is finally starting to show his age. He struggles to keep up and is often out of position, something he never experienced during his prime.
According to at least one Insider it is believed the reason Chara didn't seek a move at the deadline was because "he wasn't sure he'd be able to help a contending team in the playoffs."
It seems the most likely scenario will be Chara signing a one-day contract with the Bruins, so he can retire in the Black and Gold, the way it should have been all along. So if this is the end for Big Z, all we can do is salute the man who always played the game right.
