Zdeno Chára facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zdeno Chára |
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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 March 18, 1977) is a former professional ice hockey player from Slovakia. He played as a defenseman for 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals between 1997 and 2022.
Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, Chára is the tallest person to ever play in the NHL. This earned him the nickname "Big Z". He also played for the Slovakia national team and won two silver medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships. In 2016, he won a silver medal with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He will be added to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.
Chára was the captain of the Boston Bruins for all 14 seasons he played with them, from 2006 to 2020. In 2009, he won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman. He was the first Slovak player and second European player to win this award. As captain, he led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011, 2013, and 2019. They won the Stanley Cup in 2011. He is one of only five European-born captains to win the Stanley Cup. In 2022, Chára played his 1,652nd NHL game. This made him the defenseman with the most games played in NHL history.
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 was the 56th player picked overall. He spent his first year in North America playing for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
For four seasons, Chára played for the Islanders. He became known as a strong defensive player. He was tough to play against because he was physically strong and could hit hard. He also had a very powerful slap shot. In 2001, Chára was traded to the Ottawa Senators. This trade was part of a bigger deal that sent Alexei Yashin to the Islanders.
Becoming a Star 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. He became a strong two-way defenseman, meaning he was good at both defense and offense. The Senators started using his powerful slap shot on their power play.
In the 2002–03 season, Chára became one of the NHL's top defensemen. He had 30 assists and 39 points. He also played in his first NHL All-Star Game. There, he showed off the second-hardest shot in the Skills Competition.
In 2003–04, Chára had his best season yet with 16 goals and 41 points. He was nominated for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's best defenseman. He was also named to the NHL first All-Star team. After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Chára continued to play well. However, the Senators decided to sign another defenseman instead of Chára. This made him a free agent.
Leading the Boston Bruins (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. He was chosen for the 2007 NHL All-Star Game and won the hardest shot competition with a shot of 100.4 mph.
In the 2007–08 season, Chára was voted as 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 played in his fourth All-Star Game. He set a new Skills Competition record with a 105.4 mph slap shot. He also started a charity drive among the players, raising money for "Right to Play." For his amazing play, he won his first James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman.
In the 2010–11 season, Chára continued to break records. At the 2011 All-Star Game, he hit a slap shot at 105.9 mph, breaking his own record. On January 17, 2011, Chára scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game).
The 2010–11 season ended in a huge victory for Chára and the Bruins. He captained the team to win the Stanley Cup against the Vancouver Canucks. This was the Bruins' first Stanley Cup win since 1972. Chára became the first Slovak player to captain a Stanley Cup champion team.
At the 2012 All-Star Game, Chára set another record for the hardest slap shot. He hit the puck at an incredible 108.8 mph! Chára is known for having one of the hardest slap shots in hockey history. He won the hardest shot competition five times in a row. On March 24, 2012, Chára played his 1,000th 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 strong defensive player. In the 2013 playoffs, he helped lead his team to the Finals. 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, showing his lasting skill. On March 28, 2018, the Bruins signed Chára to a new one-year contract.
In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, Chára made history. On April 17, 2019, he became the oldest defenseman to score a game-winning goal in the playoffs. On June 9, 2019, he became the oldest defenseman to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. On November 5, 2019, Chára played his 1,500th regular season game. This made him only the 21st player in NHL history to reach this milestone.
Washington Capitals (2020–2021)
On December 30, 2020, Chára signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals. He scored his first goal with the team on January 28, 2021.
Back to the Islanders and Retirement (2021–2022)
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 meant he had played more games than any other defenseman in NHL history! At the end of the season, he was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award goes to a player who shows great perseverance and dedication to hockey.
On September 20, 2022, Zdeno Chára announced he was retiring from professional hockey. He signed a special one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to officially retire as a member of the team he led to a Stanley Cup.
International Play
.jpg) Chara at the 2010 Winter Olympics |
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| Medal record | ||
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| 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 played for the Slovakia national team in many international tournaments. He played in the Ice Hockey World Championships seven times and the Olympics three times. He won a silver medal at the World Championships in 2000 and again in 2012, where he was the captain. He also played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey for Slovakia and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe.
At the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Chára was chosen to carry the flag for Slovakia. In 2020, he was named to the IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team.
Personal Life
Before he was drafted into the NHL, Zdeno Chára's coaches in Slovakia thought he should play basketball because of his height. Because he is so tall, Chára uses hockey sticks that are 67 inches long. This is four inches longer than what NHL rules usually allow, but he received special permission to use them.
Chára married Tatiana Biskupicová in 2007. They have three children: a daughter named Elliz Victoria, born in 2009, and twin boys, Zack and Ben, born in 2016. All 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 visited Mozambique in Africa to support the charity and even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.
Chára is also a polyglot, meaning he speaks many languages. Besides his native Slovak, he can speak Czech, Polish, Swedish, Russian, German, and English. He also has a diploma in financial planning. In 2015, he got a license to sell real estate in Massachusetts.
In 2023, Chára ran the 2023 Boston Marathon to support two charities. In 2024, the Boston Celtics honored him with the "Heroes Among Us" award for his community service.
Awards, Honors, and Records
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- Tallest player in NHL history: 6 feet 9 inches tall.
- First NHL player from the Eastern Bloc to captain a Stanley Cup winning team (2011).
- NHL All-Star Skills Competition hardest shot record: 108.8 mph (2012). He won this competition 5 times, which is the most in NHL history.
- Most Game 7 Playoff appearances in NHL history.
- Oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs: 42 years and 30 days.
- Oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals: 42 years and 83 days.
- Most games played by a defenseman in NHL history.
