This one really hurts. Much like the world burning to the ground all around us, 2020 has been nothing short of a nightmare for Boston sports fans too as the year started with Red Sox superstar Mookie Betts getting traded to the Dodgers where he promptly helped them win their first World Series title since 1988. Next, the greatest quarterback in NFL history left the Patriots as Tom Brady signed a free agent deal with the Buccaneers. Things have been a little bumpier for TB12 than Mookie but heading into the final week of the regular season, Tampa (10-5) has already clinched their first playoff spot since 2007 and they are playing their best football of the season while the Patriots (6-9) have quickly turned into a punchline. If those things weren't enough, the guy who was truly the heart and soul of this city (particularly since David Ortiz retired)-defenseman Zdeno Chara-today signed a one-year deal worth $795,000 with the Capitals. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
Since NHL free agency opened in September this year due to the pandemic, the more time that dragged on, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Zee wanted to return for his 15th season as the Bruins captain but B's GM Don Sweeney and the front office were done with him. Before this news came out today, there had been rumors about Chara retiring and getting a player personnel type job with the club right away. Well it turns out that he still wants to play and while you won't find me arguing that he's anything close to the guy that was a six-time NHL All-Star or Norris Trophy winner (for best defenseman) in 2009, I believe he has a valuable role on any team by virtue of his peerless leadership not to mention his willingness to teach and support others around him.
Even in one of the best hockey markets in the U.S., the Bruins had become almost irrelevant in the late 1990s and early 2000s. When they spent money for once and signed Chara in 2006 (immediately making him the captain) along with center Marc Savard in free agency, the team's fortunes slowly started to turn for the better. The greatest travesty of this whole situation is that he only won a single Cup in Boston. This wasn't a Ray Bourque situation where he would never win here so they did another Bruins legend a solid by shipping him off to the Avalanche where he could parachute in for a Cup run. Boston beat Vancouver in seven games in 2011 for that lone Stanley Cup then fell to the loaded Blackhawks in 2013 (6 games) before choking on their home ice in Game 7 vs. St. Louis in 2019. You'll remember that was the time that Chara broken his jaw in Game 4, then had surgery to wire it shut and played in Games 5-7 like a complete savage. We'll probably never know but I truly believe if they had won it against the Blues, it would have been the perfect time for him to retire on top.
Now, the future Hall of Famer that will someday have his No. 33 retired in the TD Garden rafters, plays for one of Boston's toughest rivals who happens to be in their temporary division during this bizarre 56-game regular season that starts two weeks from tonight. Ugh. It obviously wasn't about the money for the Bruins or Chara since he's playing for barely over the league minimum salary. I don't fault Boston for wanting to move on and see what else they have in the pipeline in terms of younger left-shot defensemen. With that said, you're telling me that he couldn't have been dropped down to the third defensive pairing? The whole timing of it is weasely on Sweeney's part too since they couldn't have told him he wasn't in their future plans when they returned from the bubble rather than lead him on for months only to bail at the last second. Instead, he has to go to a new team after he became an institution here for all the right reasons.
Anyone who has been around professional hockey players will tell you that most are incredibly down-to-Earth, funny, hard-working and smart human beings. Don't get me wrong, of course I love Brady but let's be real: the guy lived in a Chestnut Hill mansion then got the hell out of here whenever the Patriots' postseason was over. I don't blame him and he also did tons of great charity work (Best Buddies) while he was here but there is no comparing him to Zee in that regard. Chara lived close enough to the Garden that he could bike to work which he did from time-to-time. For a guy from rural Slovakia, he fit in and understood the passion (and general insanity) of what makes this area great when you are winning and very tough to deal with when you and/or your team are thought to be underperforming.
Selfishly, I'm bummed that I won't get to cover him anymore day-to-day although truthfully this season figures to be just dinky Zoom calls with the media. For the past eight seasons, I had the privilege of going to Bruins games which included access to the dressing room and press conferences. I could talk for days about all the great people I met and incredible memories that I have collected along the way. People on the outside always want to know who is hard to deal with but honestly in hockey locker rooms, that is extremely rare besides the occasional (and completely justified) language barriers. Chara always stood out for more for than just the obvious reasons: his absurd size (the NHL's tallest ever player at 6-foot-9). He is incredibly honest and thoughtful and win or lose, he would always talk for a long time. This guy was drafted by the Islanders in 1996 (3rd round, 56th overall) and made his NHL debut with them the next season. Like Brady, he currently plays with many guys that could be his kids, that's how wide the age gap can be when you are still playing professional sports at age 43. His work ethic remains unparalleled: the Bruins always have a fitness test in training camp and despite all his other duties (he and his wife have three kids including twins), he always showed up in phenomenal shape.
The two sides of Chara are fascinating as well: on the ice, he is one of the scariest players in league history given his strength and the punishment that he can hand out all on his own. Couple that with the gentle giant persona that he is off the ice, for example handing out treats to homeless shelters from Mike's Pastry on Thanksgiving and going above and beyond in terms of hospital visits and connecting with sick children and people that can get so much joy just from being around him for a few moments. Center Patrice Bergeron is a lock to be the next captain of the Bruins and he will no doubt be a great one but there will never be another Chara on a Boston team for as long as we live. He is such a unique person with countless skills and abilities that extend way beyond playing hockey at the highest level. Thanks for all the wonderful memories Zee, we can't wait to see you in the Hall of Fame wearing the black and gold spoked-B.
No comments:
Post a Comment