Shortly after posting his farewell to the Boston Bruins, the Washington Capitals announced the signing of defenseman Zdeno Chara. The one-year deal is worth $795,000.
Chara, who is 43 years old, spent the past 14 seasons with the Bruins ultimately becoming the team captain. In his farewell, Chara said the Bruins informed him the team was heading in a different direction with younger defensemen.
Chara played 1,023 games with the Bruins. In his time, Boston won a Stanley Cup in 2011 and appeared in two addition Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019. He had 148 goals, 333 assists and a plus-240 rating with Boston.
Before joining the Bruins, Chara played four seasons with the New York Islanders and four more with the Ottawa Senators.
For the Captials they’re looking to retool and bolster their defense after being bounced out of the first round of the NHL playoffs each of the two seasons after winning the 2018 Stanley Cup. Their retool began with the hiring of Peter Laviolette this offseason.
The addition of Chara gives the Capitals bruiser mentality for their defenders. He is recognized as one of the most feared in the league. His leadership is unquestioned and an added element to the Caps locker room that may go beyond any role he’ll have on the ice.
