Last season, Zdeno Chara waited until right before training camp to sign with the Washington Capitals, and with NHL free agency set to open Wednesday, it sounds like he’ll be waiting things out once again.
Chara posted on Instagram following the season, and it sounded like the future Hall of Famer does not plan on returning to Washington. He got a ton of interest last offseason around the league, and it’s possible a number of teams will kick the tires on him again this offseason.
He’s in no rush to figure things out.
“Z is in Slovakia spending time with family,” Chara’s agent, Matt Keator, told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. “He is working out hard and leaving all of his options open. There is no rush on anything with him.”
Of course, this is all predicated on Chara deciding he actually wants to continue playing. The longtime Boston Bruins captain is 44, and will turn 45 in March. He can still play a second- or third-pairing role, though, and staying in impeccable shape always has been his calling card. If he decides to play, it’ll be at a high level.
Training camps start in September this year, so he’s got a little bit of time to sort things out.
