*** Welcome to piglix ***

Zdeno Chara

Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chara - Boston Bruins 2016.jpg
Chara in March 2016
Born (1977-03-18) March 18, 1977 (age 39)
Trenčín, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 9 in (206 cm)
Weight 250 lb (110 kg; 17 st 12 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams
Boston Bruins
Dukla Trenčín
Sparta Prague
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
Färjestad BK
HC Lev Praha
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 56th overall, 1996
New York Islanders
Playing career 1995–present
CharaInternational.jpg
Chara at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
Silver medal – second place 2012 Finland
Silver medal – second place 2000 Russia

Zdeno Chára (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈzdeno ˈxaːra]; born March 18, 1977) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenseman, currently serving as captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy while playing for the Bruins in the 2008–09 season.

Chára is the tallest player ever to play in the National Hockey League. He is also the second European-born and raised captain to win the Stanley Cup in 2011, and the first born and trained in a country within the Iron Curtain.

Chára was drafted in the third round, 56th overall, by the New York Islanders at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He would spend his first season in North America with the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Prince George Cougars, who subsequently selected Chára in that year's CHL Import Draft. Chára spent four seasons with the Islanders organization, becoming a reliable, stay-at-home defender in a primarily defensive role. He earned a reputation as a tough player to play against – intimidating, physically strong and a punishing hitter who could, on occasion, fight. His physical strength also gave him a very hard slap shot, which seemed to improve each season, although Chára was never deployed in an offensive role as an Islander.

Chára was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as part of a deal to acquire forward Alexei Yashin. At the time, it was believed that the deal would vastly improve the Islanders, who were never a contending team when Chára played there. Chára was part of a package deal that included Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick from that year's draft, which the Senators used to select Jason Spezza.


...
Wikipedia

...