Zdeno Chara Captaincy Tenure Record

Lore & Background

Chara was raised in Trenčín, Slovakia, and developed his game in the Czech Extraliga before being drafted by the New York Islanders in 1996. After stints with the Islanders and Ottawa Senators, he signed with the Boston Bruins as a free agent in 2006 and was immediately named captain. Under his leadership, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and reached the Finals again in 2013 and 2019. Chara's tenure as captain spanned 14 seasons, the longest in Bruins history, and he set the franchise record for most games played as captain. Known for his towering 6'9" frame, punishing physical play, and powerful slapshot, Chara was a six-time NHL All-Star and won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman in 2009. He left the Bruins after the 2019–20 season and played his final NHL season with the Washington Capitals in 2021–22 before retiring. Chara represented Slovakia in multiple international tournaments, including the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

In Their Own Story

The arena lights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the ice at TD Garden. It was late in the third period of Game Seven, 2011. Zdeno Chara stood near the faceoff circle, breathing heavily, his jersey stained with sweat and ice shavings. He looked toward the bench, then back to the net. There was no panic in his eyes, only a steely resolve forged over thousands of miles on the road. When the final buzzer sounded, he didn't run immediately; he simply raised his stick, acknowledging the roar that shook the rafters.

Reader's Guide

Marchand was born on May 11, 1988, in Halifax, and raised in Hammonds Plains. Marchand was the oldest of four children born to Kevin and Lynn Marchand, with all of his siblings born in a four-year span. His father was known as a goon during his junior ice hockey years, at one time engaging in 40 fights within a 40-game span. After collecting 358 penalty minutes in one season, Kevin Marchand's coach taught him how to balance the physical aspect of the game with skill and scoring, a lesson which he in turn taught his children as they began their hockey careers. Marchand began playing hockey at the age of two in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, and developed an aggressive playing style from a young age. He remembers beginning to fight in games around the age of 13 as an outlet for his excessive energy. The following year, he hit an opponent with enough force to damage the cage on the player's helmet. Marchand struggled with his temper throughout his childhood, and took anger management classes as an adolescent. As his hockey career progressed, he would also begin seeing a sport psychologist to address his on-ice frustrations. Growing up, Marchand became close friends with future National Hockey League (NHL) player and teammate on the Boston Bruins minor league team, the Providence Bruins, Andrew Bodnarchuk, a fellow Hammonds Plains native and his minor ice hockey teammate for the Dartmouth Subways of the Tantallon Amateur Sports Association. Marchand also played for his school team at Madeline Symonds Middle School alongside Bodnarchuk. Marchand gained a reputation both for taking penalties and for riling his opponents during his minor hockey career, and he formed intense rivalries both with his Cole Harbour rivals and with his larger, stronger teammates.

Did You Know?

• Chara was drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round, 56th overall, of the 1996 NHL entry draft.
• He scored his first NHL goal on October 12, 1998, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• Chara won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in the 2008–09 season.
• He was the longest-serving captain in Boston Bruins history, holding the role for 14 seasons.