Former New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on his first ballot, joining eight inductees in Toronto this year. Chara, drafted in the third round by the Islanders in 1996, played his first four seasons of a 24-year career there, logging 29 points in 231 games. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators, with Bill Muckalt and a draft pick, for Alexei Yashin after the 2000-01 season.
Chara spent four seasons with the Senators, then 14 with the Boston Bruins, where he won the Norris Trophy in 2009 and a Stanley Cup in 2011, accumulating 481 points in 1,023 games. He played his final Bruins season in 2019-20, then joined the Washington Capitals in 2021 for a year, appearing in 55 games.
Before the 2021-22 season, Chara rejoined the Islanders on a one-year deal, setting the record for most NHL games played by a defenseman at 1,680. His last NHL game was on April 27, 2022, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring in the final seconds. He retired on September 30, 2022.
Chara’s career totals include 209 goals and 471 assists for 680 points. He also achieved six All-Star selections, a 2011 Mark Messier Leadership Award, and two silver medals for Slovakia at the IIHF World Championship.
He will be inducted with NHL alums Alex Mogilny, Joe Thornton, and Duncan Keith, alongside women’s hockey players Jennifer Botterill and builders Jack Parker and Danièle Sauvageau. The induction ceremony is on November 10.
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