Boston Bruins: Life After Zdeno Chara
Many consider July 1, 2006 as the turning point for the then-middling Boston Bruins, still bearing their post-Joe Thornton battle scars. To put things into perspective the Bruins weren't just bad, they were awful.
Finishing dead last in the North East Division the season prior, their goal differential was minus-36 and the worst of their worries was in their defensive core. All around, the Bruins lacked depth, skill and a definitive presence.
Three days before the fourth of July Boston snagged free agents Marc Savard from the Atlanta Thrashers and Zdeno Chara from the Ottawa Senators. While the former quickly accelerated into a top-scoring forward and power-play specialist, it was the latter that transformed the franchise. Immediately being named team captain, a role left vacant since the aforementioned Thornton trade, Big Z was exactly as advertised.
Seven times he represented the Bruins at the all-star game, in 2008-09 he won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman, propelled his team to three Stanley Cup appearances and most importantly in 2011 winning the city's first Cup since Bobby Orr and co.
If July 1 2006 was the day the Bruins changed for the better its hard to see what transpired on Dec. 30 2020 as anything less than the end of a nearly 15-year long era of success.
Zdeno Chara is gone, as first reported by Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. Likely not how he or anyone else saw his time in Boston coming to a close. A one year $795,000 incentive-laden contract could see him collect two million dollars for now division rival Washington Capitals.
While its widely reported that Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney extended Chara a contract, it is now obvious the legendary defenseman likely wouldn't retain the role he has become accustom to as a Bruin resulting in his seeking employment elsewhere.
Similarly to his arrival 14 years prior Boston finds itself in an uncomfortable position, especially with their left handed defensemen. Chara averaged 21:01 minutes of ice time this past season second only to Charlie McAvoy's 23:10 and finding a replacement for those minutes, largely against the leagues top competition, will be a uniquely difficult challenge. Steady presences like Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk are the obvious successors while John Moore, Connor Clifton, Kevan Miller, Jeremy Lauzon and Steven Kampfer make up an interesting mix of youth and veteran options.
Depending on how you read into Don Sweeney's comments, long time Providence Bruins Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril, both of whom are left-handed shots, are likely to see ample opportunity to prove their worth at the NHL level. Additionally, Ben Hutton emerged a few days prior to Chara's departure as a left-handed defenseman Boston is targeting. At 6 foot 2, 206 pounds Hutton has never truly unpacked his suitcase during his career but brings 341 games of NHL experience and provides a more dependable cushion than perhaps that of lifelong AHL players.
Chara leaves a 6-foot-9, 250-pound hole in the Bruins depth chart. At 43 years of age, his best playing days are behind him but his services are still at a premium, an aspect that fans, management and the players left behind to carry the weight will soon realize. Zdeno Chara will go down as one of the if not the greatest free-agent signing in Boston sports history. For 14 years he represented the Boston Bruins with pride, dignity and a commitment to excellence not soon forgotten.
Until the jersey retirement ceremony, thank you Z.