Bruins Sign Captain Zdeno Chara To Contract Extension For 2019-20 Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Zdeno Chara era will continue in Boston for another year.
The Bruins on Saturday announced that the captain has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him in Black and Gold for the 2019-20 season.
The deal will pay Chara a base salary of $2 million, the with the opportunity to earn $1.75 million in incentives.
#NHLBruins sign Zdeno Chara to 1-year contract extension: https://t.co/2F7qIsO6Gs pic.twitter.com/cNYY3DqMA1
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 23, 2019
Chara, 42, is the second-oldest player in the NHL. In his 13th season as captain of the Bruins, he's still averaging 20:59 of ice time per game, third on the team behind Charlie McAvoy (22:04) and Torey Krug (21:20). Chara has played in 55 games this season, registering four goals and seven assists and a plus-16 rating.
He ranks sixth in franchise history in games played (948) behind Ray Bourque (1,518), Johnny Bucyk (1,436), Don Sweeney (1,052), Wayne Cashman (1,027), and Patrice Bergeron (1,021). He ranks fourth in points by a defenseman (452) behind Ray Bourque (1,506), Bobby Orr (888), and Dit Clapper (474).
At 13 years, Chara is the longest-tenured captain in the NHL. Bourque remains the longest-tenured captain in Bruins history at 15 years, though two of those seasons for Bourque were spent as co-captain with Rick Middleton.
Chara ranks fourth among active players in games played and sixth in postseason games played (114).