Former Boston Bruins captain and defenseman Zdeno Chara has been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025 in the Player Category. The 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is scheduled on Monday, November 10 in Toronto.
Chara, 48, spent 14 seasons (2006-20) with the Bruins, serving as team captain for the entirety of his stint in Boston. The 6-foot-9 defenseman appeared in 1,023 career games with the Bruins, totaling 148 goals and 333 assists for 481 points. He ranks eighth in franchise history in games played and third in points by a defenseman (481) behind Ray Bourque (1,506) and Bobby Orr (888).
Chara won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, becoming the first captain to bring a Stanley Cup to Boston since 1972. He appeared in two additional Stanley Cup Finals (2019, 2013), finishing his career with 18 goals and 52 assists for 70 points in 200 playoff games.
After recording a career-high 19 goals with Boston during the 2008-09 season, Chara won the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s top defenseman. He was also the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2010-11 for his exemplary leadership both on and off the ice.
Throughout his 25-year NHL tenure, Chara played in 1,680 career games with the N.Y. Islanders, Washington, Boston and Ottawa, totaling 209 goals and 471 assists for 680 points with a plus-301 rating. He holds the all-time record for most games played by an NHL defenseman and ranks seventh among all skaters. The Trencin, Slovakia native was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the third round (56th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
Chara was named to the NHL First-All Star Team three times (2014, 2009, 2004), the NHL Second All-Star Team four times (2012, 2011, 2008, 2006) and was a six-time participant in the NHL All-Star Game (2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2003).
Internationally, the defenseman represented Slovakia in seven IIHF World Championships (2012, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001, 2000, 1999), totaling eight goals and six assists in 55 games. In that span, he won the tournament’s silver medal twice (2012, 2000) and was a six-time recipient of the Golden Puck as Slovakia’s Player of the Year (2019, 2018, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009). Chara was also a member Team Slovakia during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and Europe’s silver medal-winning team in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He additionally represented Slovakia at three Olympic Games (2006, 2010, 2014).
