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 | Defense | ||
| 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 famous ice hockey player from Slovakia. He played as a defenseman, a player who helps protect his team's goal. Zdeno played for 24 seasons in the top ice hockey league, the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals. Standing 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) tall, Chára is the tallest person ever to play in the NHL. This earned him the nickname "Big Z".
Zdeno also played for his home country, Slovakia. He won two silver medals in big international tournaments. He also won a silver medal with Team Europe in 2016. In 2025, he joined the IIHF Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame. These are special places for the best players ever.
Zdeno was the captain of the Boston Bruins for 14 seasons, from 2006 to 2020. He won the Norris Trophy in 2009. This award is given to the league's best defensive player. He was the first Slovak player to win it! As captain, he led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final three times (2011, 2013, and 2019). His team won the championship in 2011. He was one of the few European captains to win the Stanley Cup. In 2022, Zdeno played his 1,652nd NHL game. This made him the player with the most games played as a defenseman in NHL history!
Contents
Zdeno Chára's Early Life
Zdeno Chára was born on March 18, 1977, in Trenčín, which was then part of Czechoslovakia. His parents are Zdeněk and Veronika. Zdeno's father was a well-known wrestler who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Zdeno first started playing organized hockey with his hometown team, HC Dukla Trenčín. He played for them for four seasons in the mid-1990s.
Zdeno Chára's Hockey Journey
Playing for the New York Islanders (1997–2001)
After not being chosen in the 1995 draft, Zdeno was picked by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 1996 NHL entry draft. He spent his first year in North America playing for the Prince George Cougars in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Zdeno played four seasons with the Islanders. He became a strong defender who focused on protecting his team's goal. He was known for being a tough and strong player. He also had a very powerful slap shot.
In 2001, Zdeno was traded to the Ottawa Senators. This trade was part of a deal to get another player, Alexei Yashin. The Islanders had almost traded Zdeno to the Boston Bruins earlier. But the team owners stopped that deal. They liked another player, Dave Scatchard, because he visited sick kids in the hospital and they didn't want to trade him.
Time with the Ottawa Senators (2001–2006)
The Senators knew Zdeno would be a good defender. They also saw that he was getting better every year. Zdeno improved even more than they expected! In his first year in Ottawa (2001–02), he scored 10 goals and had 23 points. He became a great player who could both defend and help score goals. His powerful slap shot kept getting better. Ottawa started using him on the power play to take advantage of it.
In 2002–03, Zdeno became one of the NHL's best defensemen. He had 30 assists and 39 points. He also played in his first NHL All-Star Game. There, he had the second-hardest shot in the Skills Competition.
In 2003–04, Zdeno scored 16 goals and had 41 points. He also had one of the best "plus-minus" ratings in the NHL. This means his team scored many more goals than they allowed when he was on the ice. He was nominated for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenseman.
After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Zdeno played in Sweden for Färjestad BK. When he returned to the NHL, he scored 16 goals again and had a career-high 43 points. After this season, the Senators had to choose between signing Zdeno or another top defender, Wade Redden. They chose Redden. Later, many people thought choosing Redden was a mistake, as Zdeno became one of the best defenders in the league.
Captain of the Boston Bruins (2006–2020)
On July 1, 2006, Zdeno signed a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins. He was named the team's captain. He was only the third Slovak-born NHL player to become a team captain. Zdeno was chosen for the 2007 National Hockey League All-Star Game and scored two goals. He also won the hardest shot competition, with a shot of 100.4 mph!
In 2007–08, Zdeno was voted to start in the 2008 National Hockey League All-Star Game. He won the hardest shot competition again, with an even faster shot of 103.1 mph. He injured his left shoulder during the season but kept playing. At the end of the season, he was nominated for the Norris Trophy again. He scored a career-high 17 goals, 34 assists, and 51 points. The Bruins team also improved a lot that season.
In 2008–09, Zdeno was named to his fourth All-Star Game. As the two-time champion of the hardest shot, he started a charity challenge. Players donated money to the winner's chosen charity. Zdeno set a new record with a 105.4 mph slap shot! He donated the winnings to Right to Play. This event was even called a "Chara"ty event! During the season, Zdeno scored a career-best 19 goals and reached 50 points for the second year in a row. For his great play, he won his first Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman.
Zdeno had another strong season in 2009–10, scoring 44 points. On October 9, 2010, he signed a new seven-year contract with the Bruins.
In 2010–11, Zdeno's 14 goals and 44 points led to another All-Star selection. His slap shot continued to break records at the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Game. He broke his own previous record with a shot clocked at 105.9 mph. On January 17, 2011, Zdeno scored his first career hat-trick in a 7–0 win. He celebrated by pretending to throw a hat in the air!
On March 8, 2011, during a game, Zdeno made a hit that caused an opponent, Max Pacioretty, to get injured. Zdeno received a penalty for the play. The league reviewed the incident and decided it was a hockey play, meaning it was part of the game. Max Pacioretty recovered fully. After this event, the NHL changed the design of the rink glass to make it safer for players.
The 2010–11 season ended with Zdeno leading the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup! This was the Boston team's first Stanley Cup win since 1972. Zdeno became the first Slovak to captain a Stanley Cup champion. He was also the first player born in a country in Eastern Europe to captain a Stanley Cup winner.
At the 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game's Hardest Shot competition, Zdeno set another record. He hit a slap shot at 108.8 mph! Many people believe Zdeno has the hardest slap shot in the NHL, and possibly the world! He won the hardest shot competition five times in a row (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012). Zdeno played his 1,000th career NHL game on March 24, 2012.
During a time when NHL games were paused (called a lockout), Zdeno played for a team in the KHL league in Europe. He returned to the NHL to have another good season. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was a key player in leading his team to the Final.
After the 2013–14 season, Zdeno was a finalist for the Norris Trophy again.
By the 2016–17 season, Zdeno was playing alongside a rookie defenseman, Brandon Carlo. Carlo was nearly 20 years younger than Zdeno! In the 2017–18 season, another star rookie, Charlie McAvoy, became Zdeno's regular defensive partner. By early February 2018, Zdeno played in his 1,400th NHL game. This made him only the 39th player in NHL history to reach this milestone. On March 28, 2018, the Bruins signed Zdeno to a one-year contract extension.
On April 17, 2019, Zdeno became the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs. On June 9, 2019, he became the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final.
On July 10, 2019, Zdeno became the oldest active NHL player. On November 5, 2019, he became the 21st player in NHL history to play 1,500 regular season games.
Playing for the Washington Capitals (2020–2021)
On December 30, 2020, Zdeno signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals. He scored his first goal with the team on January 28, 2021.
Return to the Islanders and Retirement (2021–2022)
On September 18, 2021, Zdeno signed a one-year contract to return to the New York Islanders. On February 24, 2022, Zdeno played his 1,652nd NHL game. This broke Chris Chelios' record for the most games played by a defenseman. At the end of the season, he was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award honors a player who shows great determination and love for hockey.
On September 20, 2022, Zdeno announced he was retiring from professional hockey. He signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to officially retire as a member of that team.
After Retirement
On September 29, 2025, Zdeno rejoined the Boston Bruins as a hockey operations adviser. In this role, he helps players and coaches communicate better. He also attends practices and games, and supports defensemen with their development off the ice.
On October 6, 2025, the Bruins announced they would retire Zdeno's number 33 jersey on January 15, 2026. This made him the first European player to have his number retired by the team.
International Hockey Career
.jpg) Zdeno Chára at the 2010 Winter Olympics |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Representing Slovakia |
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| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2000 Russia | |
| Silver | 2012 Finland/Sweden | |
Zdeno represented Slovakia in many international tournaments. He played in the Ice Hockey World Championships seven times and the Winter Olympics three times. He won a World Championship silver medal in 2000. He later captained Slovakia to his second silver medal in 2012. He also played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey for Slovakia and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe.
During the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Zdeno was the flag bearer for Slovakia. This is a great honor! In 2020, Zdeno was named to the IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team.
Zdeno Chára's Personal Life
Before he was drafted into the NHL, Zdeno's coaches in Slovakia tried to get him to play basketball. This was because he was so tall! Because of his height, Zdeno uses very long hockey sticks (67 inches). The NHL gave him special permission to use them.
Zdeno married his longtime girlfriend Tatiana Biskupicová on July 14, 2007, in Slovakia. They have three children: a daughter named Elliz Victoria (born 2009) and twin boys named Zack and Ben (born 2016). All three of their children were born in Boston.
Zdeno was one of the first NHL players to support You Can Play. This organization promotes acceptance of gay players in professional hockey.
Zdeno speaks many languages! Besides his native Slovak, he speaks Czech, Polish, Swedish, Russian, German, and English. He also has a diploma in financial planning. In 2015, Zdeno received a license to sell real estate in Massachusetts.
In 2020, a documentary about Zdeno called "Chára at 1,000" was released. He won a New England Emmy Award for it in 2021. In 2021, Zdeno received the Order of Ľudovít Štúr 2nd Class. This is Slovakia's second-highest state honor. It recognized his amazing achievements in sports and for making his country proud around the world.
Since retiring from hockey, Zdeno has competed in many marathons, triathlons, and Ironman races. He has completed all six World Marathon Majors. These include the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon.
During game one of the 2024 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics honored Zdeno with the Heroes Among Us award. This was for his community service in New England.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
For several years, Zdeno hosted the "Big Z Challenge." This was an annual charity event in New Hampshire. It brought Bruins fans and families together to raise money for children's and cancer care at Elliot Health System. Zdeno is also an athletic ambassador for Right To Play. In 2008, he spent two weeks in Africa, visiting Mozambique to support the charity. He even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with another former NHL player, Robyn Regehr.
In 2018, Zdeno continued a Bruins tradition. He bought $2,000 worth of pies and delivered them to Boston-area shelters for Thanksgiving. He also helped raise more money through fan events. Zdeno also led a shoe drive, personally donating $7,500 worth of new shoes. He collected over 2,000 pairs for communities in Boston and Slovakia. He also supported the Bruins' PJ Drive, helping collect a record 21,000 pairs of pajamas for children in Massachusetts.
Zdeno participated in the 2023 Boston Marathon and again in the 2024 Boston Marathon to support important foundations. He joined the Thomas E. Smith Foundation's board of directors in 2025. This foundation gives out the annual $14,000 Zdeno Chara Paralysis Grant to families.
In 2024, Zdeno volunteered at the Special Olympics games. In 2025, he joined the Bruins alumni team and started playing in charity games.
Career Statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| 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
| 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 | 2nd | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 82 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 66 | ||||
Awards, Honours, 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 defenseman | 2012 |
| IIHF All-Time Teams – Slovakia | 2020 |
| IIHF Hall of Fame | 2025 |
| Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame | 2025 |
| Boston Bruins | |
| John P. Bucyk Award | 2008, 2019 |
| Bruins Three Stars awards | 2009 |
| Eddie Shore Award | 2012 |
| Named one of top 100 best Bruins players of all time | 2024 |
| Boston Bruins All-Centennial team | 2024 |
| #33 Jersey retired | January 15, 2026 |
- Zdeno was elected captain of Team Chara in the 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game.
- The Hockey News John Ferguson Award (toughest player) – 2013
- In 2023, he was ranked number 57 in The Athletic's list of the 100 greatest hockey players of all time.
- In 2026, JetBlue gate 33 at Logan International Airport was renamed for Zdeno Chára.
Records
- Tallest player in NHL history at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) tall.
- First NHL player born in Eastern Europe to captain an NHL team to the Stanley Cup (2011).
- NHL All-Star Skills Competition hardest shot record – 108.8 mph (175.067 km/h) (2012). He broke his own previous records from 2011 (105.9 mph) and 2009 (105.4 mph).
- Won the NHL All-Star Skills Competition hardest shot 5 times, the most in NHL history.
- Most game 7 playoff appearances in NHL history (14).
- 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 Final – 42 years and 83 days.
- Most games played by a defenseman in NHL history.
See Also
- List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
- List of Slovaks in the NHL
