Zdeno Chara made his NHL debut with the Islanders in 1997-98. He registered one assist in 25 games to go with a plus-1 rating. (Photo from Getty Images/Robert Laber)
Zdeno Chara
Chara, along with a draft pick that turned into Jason Spezza, was traded in 2001 to the Senators in exchange for Alexei Yashin. (Photo by Getty Images/Rick Stewart/Allsport)
Zdeno Chara
Defenseman Zdeno Chara #3 of the Ottawa Senators chooses a stick during warm-ups prior to the start of the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on October 12, 2002. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #3 of the Ottawa Senators sets for the face-off during the NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at General Motors Place on January 8, 2003 in Vancouver, Canada. The Canucks defeated the Senators 6-4. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images/NHLI)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara makes his debut in the NHL's hardest shot competition in 2003. He lost to Al McInnis that year but would go on to set world records. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
Zdeho Chara
Chara participated in his first All-Star Game in 2003. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/NHLI)
Zdeno Chara
Chara, then an alternate captain for Ottawa, congratulates future Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek after a win. (Photo by: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Chara slams Mike Modano into the boards in a 2005 game. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Chara represented Slovakia in Italy in the 2006 Olympics. Slovakia finished fifth. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Referee Kerry Fraser #2 skates in as Zdeno Chara #3 of the Ottawa Senators prepares to punch Vincent Lecavalier #4 of the Tampa Bay Lightning as goaltender Ray Emery #1 watches from the crease in game three of the NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinals on April 25, 2006 at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. The Senators defeated the Lightning 8-4. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #3 of the Ottawa Senators shakes hands with Martin St. Louis #26 of the Tampa Bay Lightning after winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 29, 2006 at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Canada. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 and won the series four games to one. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara signed with the Bruins in 2006. He would start the season as the team's captain, but he served as an alternate captain in the preseason. (Photo by Charles Laberge/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
The signing of Chara and Marc Savard helped usher in a new era for Bruins hockey, after a couple of disappointing seasons coming out of the lockout in 2004-05. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins signs a jersey for Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Miami Heat before the game on February 7, 2007 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 looks after teammate Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins as he is carted off the ice after he was hit by Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers on October 27, 2007 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Bergeron was carted off the ice and Jones was given a game misconduct for the hit. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins congratulates Tim Thomas on January 24, 2008 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Islanders 4-1. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins takes a shot on Carey Price #31of the Montreal Canadiens during game two of the 2008 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on April 12, 2008 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.(Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins warms up before playing the New York Islanders on February 15, 2007 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammate P.J. Axelsson #11 in the third period against the St. Louis Blues on January 19, 2009 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Blues defeated the Bruins 5-4 in an overtime shootout. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins skates in on teammate Tim Thomas #30 during the Honda NHL Superskills competition as part of the 2009 NHL All-Star weekend on January 24, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins congratulates Miroslav Satan #81 after Satan scored the game winner in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 21, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in double overtime. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara poses for a portrait at the 2009 NHL Awards at the Palms Casino Resort on June 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chara won the Norris Trophy that year as the league's best defenseman. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images for NHL)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins celebrates as he walks off the rink after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime during the 2010 Bridgestone Winter Classic at Fenway Park on January 1, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara represented Slovakia again in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Slovakia finished fourth that year. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Scott Hartnell #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers has some words with Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Wachovia Center on May 5, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bruins defeated the Flyers 4-1 to take a three games to one lead in the series. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after winning the hardest shot part of the Honda NHL SuperSkills competition part of 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend at the RBC Center on January 29, 2011 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara celebrates a goal in Game Four of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara celebrates winning the Stanley Cup with Rich Peverley in Vancouver. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks - Game Seven
Zdeno Chara celebrates winning the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara leads the Bruins onto the field at Fenway Park as the team is honored by the Red Sox for winning the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Bruins captain Zdeno Chara watches as the Stanley Cup banner is raised to the rafters at the TD Garden in Boston. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chara skates in his 999th NHL game. He'd play No. 1,000 just two days later. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)