Zdeno Chara's finish in the Boston Marathon on Monday impressed not only Boston Bruins fans but also his former teammate Brad Marchand.
The 2011 Stanley Cup champion ran the 26.2 miles in 3:38:23, which is remarkable for someone of Chara's stature. Chara said he was "proud" to be able to achieve such an accomplishment while representing the Hoyt Foundation and the Thomas E. Smith Foundation.
"That guy's an animal," Marchand told reporters Tuesday, per the Bruins. "I texted him right before the race and it's impressive. Just how dedicated he is to everything. He does not surprise me. I was surprised he didn't win the race, to be honest with you. But he's incredible, he's just such a specimen. It's a lot of fun to see. He popped in the room here (Tuesday) and I was really happy for him."
Evans Chebet from Kenya earned the honor of winning the 2023 Boston Marathon with a 2:05:54 finish. But on that same topic, Marchand had a comical take on what Chara could have done in the race.
"I was surprised he didn't win the race, to be honest with you," Marchand told reporters, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "That he didn't throw people into the crowd and go for the win."
His completion of the Boston Marathon means Chara will have more time to watch his Bruins attempt to take a 2-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage of the game on NESN, including an hour of pregame.
