Здено Чара переходит от роли советника к руководству хоккейными операциями в «Бостон Брюинз»

Legendary Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara has stayed busy since his retirement in 2022. He has competed in triathlons and marathons while exploring hobbies in his native Slovakia. Chara also took on an advisor role with the Boston Bruins ahead of the 2025-26 season, just months before the club retired his number in January 2026. That ceremony, and an international farewell game dubbed “Zee’s Final Shift” played in August, brought a close to Chara’s time as a player. In an interview with Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic, the Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman said he is ready to dedicate the next phase of his life towards growing his front office role. In his first season as a Bruins staff member, Chara supported on-ice and off-ice practices as well as relationship-building among the team. He also worked one-on-one with defensemen at the NHL and AHL level and supported decisions made by the team’s development staff. It was a sizeable role, fit for the hockey juggernaut who played the seventh-most games in NHL history (1,680) across his 24-year career. Chara filled just about every role over the course of his career – from heavy-hitter, to shutdown defender, to goal-scorer with multiple seasons above 15 goals. He was a true master of his craft. More than that, Chara was an athletic unicorn. He remains the tallest player in NHL history and is the only player above 6-foot-5 to play at least 1,200 career games. His skating was smooth and powerful – rarely a limitation after he found his footing at the top level. Chara has only emphasized his athleticism post-retirement, including joining the Ironman 70.3 sub-five-hour club and racing in a 113-kilometer (70-mile) race in Czechia. Those same physical and mental attributes now position Chara as a valuable mentor for Boston’s next generation of defensemen. After a year in the role, he told Shinzawa: I love to be working where I have the most impact and positive impact — that’s always with players. Everything starts and ends with players. Having interactions, meetings and dialogue and helping players out individually, whether that’s one-on-one or in group meetings, I really enjoy that. Big Z isn’t opposed to finding new ways to get involved, though. He said that he would not mind taking on more responsibilities related to hockey operations – a willingness that could be beneficial after Boston lost assistant general managers Jamie Langenbrunner and Evan Gold during the offseason. While the Bruins hired Dennis Bonvie and Jeremy Rogalski to replace the departing AGMs, expanding Chara’s responsibilities could further strengthen the organization’s hockey operations department. Regardless of where he sits, Chara’s impact on the Bruins organization won’t end now that his number is in the rafters. With his playing career now formally behind him, Chara appears poised to leave a new legacy in Boston, helping shape the franchise’s next generation both on and off the ice. More must-reads: Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!