For Chara, Hall of Fame Induction was not in his Wildest Dreams

TORONTO - Zdeno Chara stood beneath the vast glass ceiling of Brookfield Place adjacent to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night with the eyes of the sport upon him.

Legends of the game sat before his eyes, as did so many people who have meant the world to him throughout his life and career.

To put it simply, it was the setting of a hockey player’s dream.

But for Zdeno Chara, there were no such visions as he grew up in the small town of Trencin, Slovakia.

Back then, his dreams were far simpler.

“Growing up in small town Slovakia, Trencin, you don’t dream about nights like this," Chara said as his wife, Tatiana, and children Elliz, Ben, and Zach looked on. "You dream about a patch of ice that doesn’t melt before you finish practice, you dream about finding a stick that’s not broken or skates that can still fit for a couple more years.”

Some 40 years on, however, Chara’s hockey journey was forever immortalized as he became one of 61 men with Bruins ties to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 6-foot-9 blue liner joined Boston as a free agent in the summer of 2006 and went on to captain the club for 14 seasons, leading the Black & Gold to three Stanley Cup Final appearances and the organization's sixth Cup title in 2011.

"I made the decision to sign with the Boston Bruins. Mr. Jeremy Jacobs, Charlie Jacobs, and the entire organization welcomed me and trusted me with the responsibility of leading one of the most iconic Original Six franchises. I want to thank [former Boston GM Peter Chiarelli for believing in me from Day 1 and giving me the opportunity to step into that leadership role," said Chara, who added that those who came before him paved the way.

"When I joined the Boston Bruins in 2006, I became part of a team built on character, identity, and toughness. These values were shaped by legends before me – Milt Schmidt, John Bucyk, Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr, Terry O'Reilly, Cam Neely, Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney, and so many others.

"Being named captain was a tremendous honor and I was incredibly proud to lead such an amazing group of teammates to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship. We all wanted the same thing. We battled along each other for months and we knew we had a team to do so. We had a very tight group of players in the Bruins' room – a bunch of guys who didn't want to disappoint their teammates.

"We wanted to go hard each and every night. I can tell you, everyone on that Bruins team knew their role. We had a very, very special team. We came in every day and stuck up for each other, played for each other, sacrificed our bodies, and refused to let the bench down. We had a great relationship with each other but also a great relationship with our fans. Boston loves their Bruins, so thank you, fans."

Chara made sure to "single out one player" for a special acknowledgement. That player came as no surprise.

"I want to thank Patrice Bergeron," Chara said looking out to his longtime friend and teammate in the audience. "One of the greatest leaders and people I have ever met and played with. My longest teammate, my co-captain – Bergy, I could always count on you. You showed me and helped me to become a better leader, player, but more importantly a better person."

The 2009 Norris Trophy winner went on to mention several other members of the 2011 Cup team, including Mark Recchi, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg, Chris Kelly, Shawn Thornton, and Gregory Campbell.

"We created something special in Boston: a culture," said Chara, who spoke for roughly nine minutes. "That 2011 Stanley Cup with Claude Julien and his staff, I will never forget how you guys made me better every single day. You pushed me, you trusted me, and sometimes, yes, you tripped me – especially you, Marchy [Brad Marchand]."

Former Bruins captain Joe Thornton was emotional throughout his 10-minute speech, including during a 90-second portion in which he reflected on his eight seasons in Boston, beginning with his first overall draft selection in 1997 and ending with the trade that sent him to San Jose 20 years ago this month.

"Wow, [getting drafted by Boston] was another dream come true," said Thornton. "My first couple of seasons in Boston were quite difficult, it was a hard transition from the OHL to the NHL for me. But midway through my second year, I kind of found my footing."

Thornton lauded his fellow Bruins alums who took him in from the start, and had special shoutouts for Wayne Cashman and fellow Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk.

"I remember how strong the Bruins alumni was and how I was instantly accepted by them," Thornton recalled. "Bobby Orr, Wayne Cashman, Gerry Cheevers, Ken Hodge, Derek Sanderson, and Tommy Johnson. Everyone was just so kind to me. They golfed with me, had lunch with me, taught me how to be a man."

"Wayne Cashman, we still talk weekly," Thornton added as he paused while his eyes welled with tears. "And it's always the highlight of my week. I love you. But there was no one bigger during my time with the Bruins than Johnny Bucyk. As a young kid, 18 years old, the Chief really took me under his wing and he helped me through my first few years. Chiefer, you taught me how to give back to the game that I love."

Thornton also recognized former Bruins teammates Glen Murray, Nick Boynton, Andrew Raycroft, Jason Allison, Don Sweeney, and Dave Ellett.

"You made my years in Boston memorable, thanks for being great teammates," he said before finishing with an acknowledgement of the Hynes family, who he lived with for his first three years with the Bruins, and the Bruins fans. "And to the people of Boston, you were so good to me. Thank you."

Chara, too, shouted out Bucyk during the Hall of Fame festivities. Following the presentation of his HOF blazer and Class of 2025 ring on Saturday afternoon, Chara spoke glowingly about the first two phone calls he received upon the announcement in June that he was headed for the Hall.

"Those are the calls that puts you really in standstill," said Chara, who also noted he was inspired by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1990s and cyclist Lance Armstrong in the 2000s. "And everything is slowing down like in a movie. You're realizing you are getting calls and messages from people who have been inducted here for a long time...they meant so much to the game and they're such good people.

"Getting calls from them, that's when you sit down after you hang up. You have those moments where you're really thinking about your life - not just the hockey but what it really means to be a part of it. It's a community. It's a special, special meaning when you're getting these calls."

The legendary Bruins blue liner closed his speech with a heartfelt message to the "game itself."

"I gave everything I had to this game," Chara said. "And it gave me more than I could have ever imagined. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. Hockey will always be the greatest game."

Visit the all-new Boston Bruins History site to learn more about the club's Hall of Fame legacy.