Boston Bruins: Zdeno Chara didn’t deserve this
By Sam Minton
Zdeno Chara is no longer a member of the Boston Bruins and he deserved a lot more from the organization.
When the news broke it was hard for Boston Bruins fans to read what they were seeing. How could Zdeno Chara leave Boston? What was the organization thinking?
On Wednesday it was announced that Chara had signed a deal with the Washington Capitals for $795,000. Talk about a bargain for the Caps.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Patriots on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
Washington will get a veteran defensemen who will help them in their chase for a Stanley Cup. It will be interesting to see the role that he is used in, but it’s difficult to imagine him as a top-pairing defensemen.
On the other side of the coin, Bruins fans are upset (and they should be). This is a failure of the largest proportions by Boston’s management. Cam Neely and Don Sweeney will be getting a lot of criticism.
It appears that Boston wants to go younger. That is an understandable decision but they should have informed Chara much earlier.
There’s also the fact that the perpetually inured Kevan Miller is on the roster. There is no way that Miller will have a better season than Chara. It’s likely that Miller is out for the rest of the season within a month of the season starting.
Reading Chara’s farewell on Instagram details just much the Bruins messed up.
If Chara was on the roster he would be a great mentor to the many younger players on the roster. Also with a reduced role, he could have looked a lot better on the ice.
But that still isn’t the tip of the iceberg for the Bruins. They seemed to take a gamble according to Joe Haggerty and it definitley didn’t pay off.
My understanding is that the Bruins were hoping Zdeno Chara was going to choose retirement and agree to remain with the organization off the ice. But the 43-year-old wanted to keep playing. That Capitals team is going to be a handful for the Bruins. Yikes.
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) December 30, 2020
Chara’s last game will be in front of zero fans as Boston’s bid for a Stanley Cup ended in the bubble last season. That isn’t what he deserved.
Chara deserved a hero’s farewell. He’s had so many great moments at TD Garden. There is no doubt that whenever he retires, his number will likely be retired.
So since the Bruins failed to properly say goodbye to Chara, we at Chowder & Champions will.
Big Z, thank you for all the great moments. Thank you for bringing a Stanley Cup back to Boston. Thank you for being a great captain on and off the ice. You defined what it meant to be a Bruin.
If you thought 2020 was weird just wait when the Bruins play their first game without Chara. Even writing this it still seems hard to imagine.
Next. Jake DeBrusk deal perfect for all parties. dark
But one thing is for certain, the Boston Bruins will miss Chara.