Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chára (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈzdenɔ ˈxaːra]; born 18 March 1977) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals between 1997 and 2022. Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) tall, Chára is the tallest person ever to play in the NHL, earning him the nickname "Big Z".
| Zdeno Chára | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chára with the Boston Bruins in January 2012 | |||
| Born |
18 March 1977 Trenčín, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) | ||
| Weight | 250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Sparta Praha New York Islanders Dukla Trenčín Ottawa Senators Färjestad BK Boston Bruins Lev Praha Washington Capitals | ||
| National team | Slovakia | ||
| NHL Draft |
56th overall, 1996 New York Islanders | ||
| Playing career | 1996–2022 | ||
Chára served as the Bruins' captain for all of his fourteen seasons with the franchise, from 2006 to 2020. He won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenceman in 2009, becoming the first Slovak player to do so, and the second European player after Nicklas Lidström. In 2011, 2013 and 2019 Chára captained the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals, winning in 2011. He is one of four European-born and raised captains to lead his team to the Stanley Cup championship, and the first to be born and trained in the Eastern Bloc. In 2022, Chára played in his 1,652nd NHL game, making him the league's all-time leader in games played by a defenceman.