Zdeno Chára facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zdeno Chára |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2025 | |||
Chára with the Boston Bruins in January 2012
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| Born | 18 March 1977 Trenčín, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) | ||
| Weight | 256 lb (116 kg; 18 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Sparta Praha New York Islanders Dukla Trenčín Ottawa Senators Färjestad BK Boston Bruins Lev Praha Washington Capitals |
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| National team |  Slovakia |
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| NHL Draft | 56th overall, 1996 New York Islanders |
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| Playing career | 1996–2022 | ||
Zdeno Chára (born 18 March 1977) is a famous Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1997 to 2022. He played for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, Chára is the tallest person ever to play in the NHL. This earned him the nickname "Big Z".
Chára was the captain of the Boston Bruins for all 14 of his seasons with the team, from 2006 to 2020. He won the Norris Trophy in 2009, which is given to the league's best defenceman. He was the first Slovak player and second European player to win this award. In 2011, Chára led the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup, which is the NHL's championship trophy. He is one of only five European-born captains to win the Stanley Cup. In 2022, Chára played his 1,652nd NHL game, becoming the player with the most games played by a defenceman in NHL history. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting with the New York Islanders (1997–2001)
Zdeno Chára was chosen by the New York Islanders in the 1996 NHL draft. He spent his first season in North America playing for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Chára played four seasons with the Islanders. He became known as a strong, defensive player who was tough to play against. He was physically powerful and had a very hard slap shot.
In 2001, Chára was traded to the Ottawa Senators. This trade also involved Bill Muckalt and a draft pick that the Senators used to select Jason Spezza.
Time with the Ottawa Senators (2001–2006)
When Chára joined the Ottawa Senators, he quickly improved his game. In his first year with Ottawa (2001–02), he scored 10 goals and had 23 points, showing he could play well on both offense and defense. His powerful slap shot became a key weapon, and the Senators started using him on their power play.
In the 2002–03 season, Chára became one of the NHL's top defencemen. He set new personal records with 30 assists and 39 points. He also played in his first NHL All-Star Game. There, he showed off his powerful shot, recording the second-hardest shot in the Skills Competition.
The 2003–04 season was even better for Chára. He scored 16 goals and had 41 points. He was nominated for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman. He also made the NHL first All-Star team. After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Chára continued his strong play, earning a spot on the NHL second All-Star team. After this season, the Senators decided to sign his defensive partner, Wade Redden, instead of Chára. This made Chára a free agent.
Becoming a Boston Bruins Captain (2006–2020)
On July 1, 2006, Chára signed a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins. He was immediately named the team's captain. This made him only the third Slovak-born NHL player to become a team captain. In 2007, Chára was selected for his second NHL All-Star Game. He also won the hardest shot competition, with a shot clocked at 100.4 mph.
In the 2007–08 season, Chára was voted a starter for the 2008 NHL All-Star Game. He won the hardest shot competition again, with an even faster shot of 103.1 mph. He had a career-high 17 goals and 51 points. He was nominated for the Norris Trophy for the second time.
In 2008–09, Chára was chosen for his fourth All-Star Game. He set a new Skills Competition record with a 105.4 mph slap shot. He donated his winnings to a charity called Right to Play. This year, he won his first James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman.
Chára continued to play strongly in the 2009–10 season. On October 9, 2010, he signed a new seven-year contract with the Bruins. In the 2010–11 season, Chára set another record at the 2011 All-Star Game with a shot clocked at 105.9 mph. On January 17, 2011, Chára scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game).
Later that season, Chára was involved in an incident where he hit Montreal Canadiens player Max Pacioretty. The NHL reviewed the play and decided no further punishment was needed. After this incident, the NHL changed its rink design to make it safer for players. The 2010–11 season ended with Chára leading the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup. This was the Bruins' first Stanley Cup win since 1972. Chára became the first Slovak to captain a Stanley Cup champion team.
At the 2012 All-Star Game, Chára broke his own hardest shot record again, reaching an incredible 108.8 mph. He is widely considered to have the hardest slap shot in the NHL. Chára won the hardest shot competition five times in a row (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012). On March 24, 2012, Chára played his 1,000th career NHL game.
During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Chára played for Lev Praha in the KHL. He returned to the Bruins and continued to be a key player, helping them reach the Finals in 2013. After the 2013–14 season, Chára was again a finalist for the Norris Trophy.
By the 2016–17 season, Chára was playing alongside much younger defensemen like Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy. On February 2, 2018, Chára played his 1,400th NHL game, becoming only the 39th player in NHL history to reach this milestone.
In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, Chára became the oldest defenceman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal. He also became the oldest defenceman to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. On November 5, 2019, Chára played his 1,500th regular season game, becoming the 21st player in NHL history to do so.
Washington Capitals and Return to Islanders (2020–2022)
On December 30, 2020, Chára signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals. He scored his first goal with the team in January 2021.
On September 18, 2021, Chára signed a one-year contract to return to the New York Islanders. On February 24, 2022, Chára played his 1,652nd NHL game. This broke Chris Chelios' record for the most games played by a defenceman in NHL history. At the end of that season, he was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award for perseverance and dedication to hockey.
On September 20, 2022, Chára announced his retirement from professional hockey. He signed a special one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to officially retire as a member of the team.
International Play
.jpg) Chara at the 2010 Winter Olympics |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Slovakia |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2000 Russia | |
| Silver | 2012 Finland/Sweden | |
| Representing Team Europe | ||
| World Cup | ||
| Silver | 2016 Canada | |
Chára proudly represented Slovakia in many international tournaments. He played in seven World Championships and three Olympics. He won a silver medal at the World Championships in 2000 and again in 2012, where he was the captain of the Slovak team. He also won a silver medal playing for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
During the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Chára had the honor of being the flag bearer for Slovakia. In 2020, he was named to the IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team.
Personal Life and Interests
Before he was drafted into the NHL, Zdeno Chára's coaches in Slovakia even tried to convince him to play basketball because of his height! Because he is so tall, Chára uses hockey sticks that are longer than the usual NHL rules allow, but he received special permission to do so.
Chára married Tatiana Biskupicová in 2007. They have three children: a daughter, Elliz Victoria, born in 2009, and twin boys, Zack and Ben, born in 2016. All three of their children were born in Boston. His father, Zdeněk Chára, was a famous Greco-Roman wrestler.
Chára is an athletic ambassador for Right To Play, a charity that uses sports to educate and empower children. He has traveled to Africa to support this charity. Chára was also one of the first NHL players to support You Can Play, which promotes acceptance of gay players in professional hockey.
Chára is very good with languages; he speaks six languages besides his native Slovak. These include Czech, Polish, Swedish, Russian, German, and English. He also has a diploma in financial planning and a license to sell real estate. In 2023, Chára ran the 2023 Boston Marathon to support charities. In 2024, the Boston Celtics honored him with the "Heroes Among Us" award for his community service.
Career Statistics Summary
| 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 Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Slovakia | WC | 7th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2000 | Slovakia | WC |  |
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 | |
10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2014 | Slovakia | OG | 11th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2016 | Team Europe | WCH | |
6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 82 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 66 | ||||
Awards and Records
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| 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 Skills Competition hardest shot | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy | 2009 |
| NHL All-Decade team 2000s | 2009 |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2011 |
| Mark Messier Leadership Award | 2011 |
| NHL All-Decade team 2010s | 2020 |
| Hockey Hall of Fame | 2025 |
| International | |
| IIHF World Championship all-star team | 2004, 2012 |
| IIHF World Championship best defenceman | 2012 |
| IIHF All-Time Teams – Slovakia | 2020 |
| IIHF Hall of Fame | 2025 |
| Boston Bruins | |
| John P. Bucyk Award | 2008, 2019 |
| Bruins Three Stars awards | 2009 |
| Eddie Shore Award | 2012 |
| Named to top 100 best Bruins players of all time | 2024 |
| Boston Bruins all-centennial team | 2024 |
- Elected captain of Team Chara in the 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game.
- The Hockey News John Ferguson Award (toughest player) – 2013
Notable Records
- Tallest player in NHL history at 6 feet 9 inches tall.
- First NHL player from the Eastern Bloc to captain an NHL team to the Stanley Cup (2011).
- Holds the NHL All-Star Skills Competition hardest shot record – 108.8 mph (175.067 km/h) from 2012.
- Won the NHL All-Star Skills Competition hardest shot 5 times, which is the most in NHL history.
- Most Game 7 Playoff appearances in NHL history.
- Oldest defenceman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs (at 42 years and 30 days old).
- Oldest defenceman in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals (at 42 years and 83 days old).
- Most games played by a defenceman in NHL history.
See also
- List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
- List of Slovaks in the NHL
