Islanders Give Chara Big Welcome at Training Camp

New York or nowhere.
That's how a few of the New York Islanders felt about Zdeno Chara while the defenseman was deciding his future in the offseason. If he wasn't going to join the Islanders, which he did on a one-year deal, they were hoping he'd retire - just so they didn't have to keep playing against the physically-imposing blueliner.

Between blocking his slapper - which clocked in at an NHL-record 108.8 mph in 2012 - or trying to get around his 6'9, 250 lbs. frame, playing against Chara is not a lot of fun.
"We were pretty excited when we saw that signing," Brock Nelson said. "A couple of guys said they were hoping if he didn't sign here that he'd retire. He's had a great career and guys have played and battled with him pretty hard, so it's nice to have him on our side now."
For years, the Islanders have been watching Chara ply his trade in the NHL. For some, it's been their entire lives. To put it in perspective, Chara was drafted by the Islanders in 1996, nearly a full year before Mathew Barzal was born. The fact that he's still averaging 18 minutes per game last season is awe-inspiring.

"This guy was in the league since before I was born, so it's definitely nice to have a presence like that on the ice," Barzal said. "Getting to know him and having him in the room and seeing him in the gym and on the ice, he works hard and there's a reason he's been in this league for so long and been effective. For me and everyone on this team, I think it'll be fun just picking up little things that he does, just because he's such a pro and done it for so long. He's a great addition to our organization."
The Islanders are hoping the former Bruins captain, Norris Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion can pass along some of his veteran knowhow to the younger Islanders. The 44-year-old spent some time on the first day skating with 21-year-old Noah Dobson, a pairing Head Coach Barry Trotz said he wanted to see early in camp. Trotz said the veteran's track record of helping Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug in Boston could make him a good fit for Dobson as he enters his third year in the league.
"There's such a great wealth of experience he has and knowledge that can rub off on a young guy," Trotz said of a Chara-Dobson pairing. "There's 1,700 games of experience."
Dobson said that while it's early in camp, he's enjoyed getting the chance to be around Chara. Dobson is no stranger to having veteran mentors around the Islanders since his rookie year, having lived with Dennis Seidenberg, sitting next to Johnny Boychuk in the locker room and playing with Andy Greene. The young blueliner said he'll be a sponge, trying to pick up habits from one of the game's greats.

"I obviously have a lot of respect for everything he's done in the league and for a young defenseman he's a great guy to have by my side and learn from," Dobson said. "He's seen everything throughout the league and the thing with him, he's always talking, which is nice. We're starting to feel good together, obviously it takes a little getting used to playing a new guy, but he's really good with the communication. I've really enjoyed playing with him out there and hopefully continue to do so."
Trotz said he still plans to experiment with Chara during camp, so he'll see some reps with Scott Mayfield and potentially even Ryan Pulock, but his experience can be a resource for the entire back end. Trotz said he thinks Adam Pelech, the Islanders top shutdown defenseman, can pick up on Chara's mental steadiness. The parallels between Chara and Pulock's shots are obvious and Chara's work ethic is stuff of legend.
"When he's on your side, it is very impressive," Trotz said. "That first group was as good as any group we've had in any training camp in terms of execution and competitiveness. He's all-business, he plays for keeps… He's in great shape for his age and he's a total pro and it's very impressive."
At this stage of Chara's career, he's not expected to be the Islanders top defenseman, but rather to enhance one of the top defensive teams in the league. Safe to say, no matter where Chara slots in, the big man is still very capable of making a big impression on the Islanders, on and off the ice.