Islanders' Zdeno Chara tying NHL games record for defenseman
Zdeno Chara of the Islanders skates against the Kings at UBS Arena on Jan. 27. Credit: Jim McIsaac
SEATTLE — Zdeno Chara can’t help but make an impressive impression. Being 6-9, 250 pounds and starting an NHL career that will end in the Hall of Fame way back in 1997 says a lot, even if he often does not, at least publicly.
For instance, Chara, 44, opted not to make any public comments before tying Hall of Famer Chris Chelios’ NHL record for the most games played by a defenseman. He dressed for the 1,651st time in the regular season as the Islanders opened a five-game road trip against the expansion Seattle Kraken in their first visit to Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night. He should set the record on Thursday night in San Jose.
"Big Z hasn’t mentioned it at all," Brock Nelson said. "You look at Big Z and his numbers and his career. An incredible achievement, the amount of hockey he’s played. The level he’s played at. He doesn’t bring it up. He just goes about his business and he works extremely hard every day."
"He’s got lots of stuff to say in the room, or advice," Anthony Beauvillier said. "He’s definitely a guy you want to listen to. Probably one of the best human beings ever. A great guy. It’s been good to have him around and it’s been good to pick his brain a little bit."
Teammates quickly notice the relentless work ethic that has kept Chara in the league for 24 seasons, including 14 as the Bruins’ captain from 2006-2020 and a Stanley Cup in 2011.
"My first impression was the first week really just watching him in the gym," said Mathew Barzal, who had a homecoming on Tuesday after playing four years of junior hockey with the Seattle Thunderbirds. "Usually, I’m in there on off days and after practice I’ll get a little workout in. I kept going up there and he was up there before me and I would finish mine and then he’d still be doing something. I was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy has a crazy engine.’ "
Chara started his NHL career with the Islanders, who drafted him in the third round in 1996 before trading him to the Senators in 2001. Chara spent last season with the Capitals before signing a one-year, $750,000 deal with the Islanders.
Chara might not finish this season with the Islanders, who are fading from playoff contention. The trade deadline is March 21 and postseason contenders always scout for defense depth. Even if Chara is not traded, the Islanders are not likely to re-sign him.
"He’s first one in the gym, he’s the last one out of the gym," Beauvillier said. "He wants to take care of himself so he can keep playing for a couple of more years, I think."
"I can’t speak for Z what it means to him," coach Barry Trotz said. "You play this long in the league, you have to have some very key factors and impact on teams. You’ve got to have a professionalism that allows you do that as well. That’s what is amazing about it. That’s a lot of games. I don’t know if that one will be touched ever again."
The Stars’ Ryan Suter, 37, is next among active defensemen with 1,247 games played and the Oilers’ Duncan Keith, 38, is 20 games behind Suter.
"You talk with anyone around the league, he’s just a great guy, a great team guy," Chelios told NHL.com. "I’m not going to say I’m happy. But it doesn’t bother me one bit that a guy like him is the guy breaking the record. Congratulations to him, it’s a heck of a feat."
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
