Just seven months after the midseason trade of captain Joe Thornton, the Bruins made a strong push for the tallest hockey player to ever skate in the NHL. Zdeno Chara signed a five-year contract with the B’s on July 1, 2006 and was immediately named captain.
Chara has been a perennial All-Star since joining the club. The Bruins’ recent success has everything to do with their captain. He has put up 188 points in his short time in Boston, while earning a career-high 51 points in the 2007-08 season. He has led the Black and Gold to playoff berths for the past three seasons.
The tallest man on ice holds two other very distinct honors: Chara is only the third Slovak-born player to be an NHL team captain. He also holds the record for the hardest shot ever recorded at last season’s All-Star Skills Competition at 105.4 mph.
