Zdeno Chara
2011 Stanley Cup Champion | 2011 Mark Messier Award | 2009 James Norris Trophy
Zdeno Chara, a 24-year veteran of the National Hockey League (NHL), was a seven-time All-Star, and former Captain of the Boston Bruins. Chara is known for having the hardest slap shot in the game (108.8 mph) and is a tremendous defensive player at his 6'9" stature. In addition to being a stellar hockey player, he is also a masterful linguist who speaks multiple languages including; Slovak, Czech, Polish, Swedish, Russian, German and English. Off the ice, Chara has made a tremendous impact as he is the first Athlete Ambassador for "Right to Play," a global organization that teaches children in need through educational games. Chara was also one of the first NHL players to endorse " You Can Play," which is the acceptance and encouragement of gay players in the NHL. In September of 2022, Chara signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins to officially announce his retirement from the NHL as a part of the Bruins organization.
Additionally, Chara attended and completed educational courses at Algonquin College in Ottawa and at Harvard Business School in Boston, where he gave multiple leadership speeches and presentations. Most recently, he became a licensed Real Estate salesperson.
Chara is extremely well-known for his fitness and he credits his peak athletic performance to plant-based nutrition. Big Zee, as people like to call him, is also active in numerous charitable organizations in the Boston community. For his contributions to Boston, Chara was awarded the Heroes Among Us award - the Boston Celtics’ award for community outreach - in 2024.
Teams: New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals
