Zdeno Chara announced Tuesday that he will sign a one-day contract with the Bruins and retire from the NHL after 24 seasons, 14 of them in Boston.
The 206-centimeter defenseman from Slovakia entered the league as a third-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 1996. Now 45, he exits as the record-holder for most games played by a defenseman (1,680), with 680 points (209 goals, 471 assists) and a plus-301 rating in his career with the Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Bruins and Washington Capitals.
"After 25 seasons of professional hockey 1,680 NHL regular season games, 200 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and hundreds of international games I am proud to announce my decision to retire from the National Hockey League," Chara posted to Instagram on Tuesday. "In doing so, I am honored to return to TD Garden today to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and officially finish my career with the team that has meant so much to me and my family.