Zdeno Chara No. 4 Moment As Teammate: Welcoming Charlie McAvoy Back With Big Hug

Editor’s note: On Sunday, May 31, at 7 p.m. ET, NESN will be airing “Chara at 1000,” celebrating Zdeno Chara reaching the 1,000 game milestone in a Bruins uniform. In the lead-up to that, we will be remembering Chara’s finest moments in Boston — both on and off the ice. For more stories celebrating Chara, click here.

One of Zdeno Chara’s biggest assets is his leadership. That’s especially important these days, with a large chunk of the Boston Bruins roster in its mid-20s.

When the captain signed with Boston and automatically earned a C on his sweater, fellow defensemen Charlie McAvoy wasn’t even 10 years old.

But regardless of the age difference, Chara was there waiting for a teammate half his age so he could welcome him back to the Bruins at training camp before the season.

McAvoy had just signed a three-year deal with the Bruins, with negotiations stretching into the early days of training camp. So when McAvoy finally was back, Chara embraced the youngster in a hug before escorting him out to practice at the Warrior Ice Arena.

“…….walk this way, walk this way ………… just give me a hug …… welcome back @cmcavoy25,” Chara captioned the video.

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Chara’s leadership is invaluable.

More Chara: Relive Bruins Captain’s Greatest Moments In Celebration Of ‘Chara At 1,000’