Zdeno Chara is one of the greatest defensemen of his generation and earlier this week, he announced his retirement from the NHL. Players like Chara don’t grow on trees, and with 24 seasons in the league, he’s one of the most-capped players of all time.
Zdeno Chara also announced that he was signing a one-day contract with Boston so that he could end his career as a member of the Bruins.
Chara, nicknamed” Big Z,” was at his peak one of the most feared defenders to ever step on the ice. He was terrific on the defense but wasn’t shy going forward. He reached 40 points in nine seasons, and three times, he climbed over the 50 points barrier.
Chara played 1,680 games in the league. More than any defenceman, and recorded 680 points. Chara hoisted the Stanley Cup as a captain, and his legacy will live forever.
Since his retirement announcement, stars from all over the globe have paid their tribute. Chara was a well-liked character in hockey and was respected by everybody. And one of his biggest fans was Jaromir Jagr.
As Chara ends his career, Jaromir Jagr pays tribute to “Big Z” with an awesome message.
“Great and inspirational story. People were laughing at him when he was young… But then he became the best D in NHL. There was no other D in NHL I had such problems to play against…” Jagr said, according to Czech hockey reporter Zdenek Janda.
Jaromir Jagr, now in his 50s, still plays hockey in the Czech league.
