Zdeno Chara Elected Into Hockey Hall Of Fame With 2025 Class

Zdeno Chara’s name will be written into history after he was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025.

It marked the first year the former Boston Bruins captain was on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Chara spent 14 of his 24 seasons in Boston after he skated with the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators. He spent one season with the Washington Capitals (2020-21) and returned to the Islanders (2021-22) after his decade-plus tenure with the Black and Gold.

Chara was captain for the entire duration of his Bruins tenure and won the Stanley Cup in 2011. On top of a Stanley Cup Finals win, the 6-foot-9 defenseman won the Norris Trophy in 2008-09.

The 48-year-old is the NHL all-time leader in games played by a defenseman (1,680). He totaled 680 points on 209 goals and 471 assists.

Chara also ranks sixth in Bruins franchise history in games played (1,023). He is third in points by a defenseman (481), just behind Bruins legends Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr.

Chara left Boston in free agency after the 2019-20 season and signed a one-year deal with the Capitals. He hung up the skates after the 2021-22 season with the Islanders.

Chara also had a strong international hockey performance, representing Slovakia in seven IIHF World Championships and winning the tournament’s silver medal twice. He was a six-time recipient of the Golden Puck as Slovakia’s Player of the Year.

He also was a member of Team Slovakia during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and Europe’s silver medal-winning team in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Additionally, Chara represented Slovakia at three Olympic Games 

Former Bruins player Joe Thornton was also named to the Class of 2025. He started his career in Boston, being drafted No.1 to the Bruins in the 1997 NHL Draft. He spent seven seasons in Boston, being named as the captain in 2002, before he was traded in 2005.

The inductees will be inducted on November 10 in Toronto.