Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
hall of fame guard Zdeno CharaThursday night, No. 33 came to the rafters at TD Garden.
This is the latest honor for the Boston Bruins legend and one of the most respected figures in hockey. But Chara also has deep ties to the AHL, and they still have ties to Boston's AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
The 6-foot-9 Chara became the tallest player in NHL history when he was selected by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 1996 NHL Draft and entered the AHL in the 1997-98 season. In just one year in the Western Hockey League, he also showed he needs a lot of experience. That season, the Islanders sent rookie players, including Chara, to the Kentucky Thunder Blades, who had a dual affiliation with the San Jose Sharks.
Chara, then 20 years old, played 48 games for Kentucky, the team that was also the No. 2 overall pick in 1995. Andrei Kutsu On the blue line with future Sharks star goaltender Yevgeny Nabokov. Chara played in the AHL All-Star Classic in 1998 and was eventually named to the AHL All-Rookie Team, joining the likes of future NHL Who's Who. Daniel Briere, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Brendan Morrison and Mark Savard. He also appeared in his first 25 NHL games with the Islanders, making his debut on November 19, 1997 in Detroit.
This was the beginning of a 25-season journey in professional hockey that would end in 2022 with the Islanders.
In Chara's second season, the Islanders had acquired their own AHL affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, and Chara once again needed extra development time. With Lowell playing 23 games in the AHL, he was ready to head to the NHL to stay.
When it was all over, he played 1,680 regular-season games with the Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Bruins and Washington Capitals. In 2011, he led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship. He was selected to the NHL First All-Star Team three times (another four times to the Second All-Star Team) and is the second-longest-serving captain in Boston history. During most of his time in Boston, Boston sports were at the top of their game and he became one of the symbols of Boston's success.
Last summer, Toronto came calling. Chara was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. His scope of work isn't limited to the NHL, either. He represented Slovakia in seven IIHF World Championships, three Winter Olympics, and two Hockey World Cups. He was also inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame last year. As captain, Boston is very important to the locker room culture of stars, journeymen, rookies and draftees. Along with another organization member and AHL alum, Patrice BergeronBoston's welcoming environment became as decisive as anything that happened on the ice.
“I remember, when I first saw him, my eyes were really wide open,” Boston guard Charlie McAvoy told BostonBruins.com. “I just came over from Providence; I got drafted. We practiced, and then we were going to Ottawa. When I met him, I called him 'Mr. Charla,' and he said, 'Don't do that. Call me Zee.'
“He's just such a larger-than-life character.”
This is who the Bruins are looking to help guide, guide and teach their rookies in Providence. Therefore, last September 25, they appointed Chara as their hockey operations consultant and mentor.
Boston has a long history of having alumni work closely with the team after the game, starting with the team president Cam NeelyGeneral manager Don Sweeney and head coach Marco Sturm. former Bruins forward Chris Kelly is an assistant coach. Adam McQuaidHe played at Providence before graduating to Boston and was the organization's director of player personnel. AHL Hall of Fame Member Dennis BonveyFormerly with Boston and Providence, he is the organization's director of pro scouting. Dean Malcock, PJ Axelson, Brett Huggins, Milan Giucina and Matt Lindblad They all wore black and gold before entering Boston's scouting department.
Chara becomes the newest member of the group, taking on an overarching role. One of Chara's greatest strengths as a player is his ability to communicate and develop relationships, and those are skills Boston emphasized when announcing his new role.
Some of that work also includes working with potential clients in Providence. It's been another successful season for the Bruins, with a record of 25 wins, 8 draws, 0 draws and 1 loss as they compete for first place in the Eastern Conference this season. That combination of winning and commitment to development has led to a long list of players heading to Boston after their time in Providence. At Providence, strong leadership has long been a priority for the organization, and captains are highly respected Patrick Brown Leads a team of experienced tutors.
If a young player has some questions about his health, Chara is certainly the one who can offer advice. As a player, he was known for his commitment to fitness, and after retiring he competed in marathons and triathlons.
The character comes back to hockey after three seasons away from the ice to formulate future plans. In March of this year, Chara was about to celebrate his 49th birthday, and he came to Providence and received a warm welcome.
“Charla is now a big part of our team,” Providence head coach said Ryan Mognell.
It's easy for an organization's standards to begin to slip as players who have maintained the organization's standards over the years leave and retire. Boston has worked hard to avoid that by having the likes of Sturm, Kelly and other alumni actively step into key roles to pass on those values to the next generation of Bruins. Chara is the latest step toward that goal.
“There's a certain standard,” Mugnell said of the approach, “and I think it does work… It's a great environment to be in as a player.”
With a seemingly never-ending list of accomplishments on his resume, Charla quickly integrated into the Providence coaching staff and roster. He’s a Hockey Hall of Famer, but at the same time he’s just one of them.
“He was very humble,” Mugnell said, “but also very detailed.”
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
