"The Bruins' extended window of contention that spanned nearly two decades and featured three trips to the Stanley Cup Final started to pry open on July 1, 2006 when Boston signed Chara - the top free agent on the market - to a five-year, $37.5 million contract. A Bruins roster seemingly left rudderless after the trade of captain Joe Thornton (also a 2025 Hall-of-Fame entrant) had found its next franchise stalwart to pair alongside a younger crop of skaters headlined by Patrice Bergeron."
""I'm kind of nervous just standing here because there's just so many legends and so many players, good people who have done so much," Chara said Saturday. "I don't know how to describe it. It is a little bit surreal." "It felt very special. To be honest, I got some shakes," Chara added of seeing his plaque in Toronto for the first time. "It was so special, seeing all these legends and all these people who have done so much for the game ... and now seeing my face, my name on it? I really have a hard time describing what it's like.""
"Chara's impact on the ice was evident, even as Boston labored during the 2006-07 season. But, it was his role in cultivating a winning culture as the team's captain that has endured - even years after he last donned a black-and-gold sweater. "Without that you cannot win," Chara said of building a strong culture during his retirement"
Zdeno Chara formally entered the Hockey Hall of Fame after a storied career as a dominant NHL defenseman and a 14-season captain of the Boston Bruins. Chara signed with Boston on July 1, 2006 — a five-year, $37.5 million deal that helped trigger a nearly two-decade window of contention and three Stanley Cup Final trips. Chara paired with younger core players led by Patrice Bergeron and delivered consistent on-ice impact even during early rebuilding years. His leadership cultivated a lasting winning culture in Boston. He described the Hall of Fame moment as surreal and said recognition of teammates made seeing his name especially meaningful.
Read at Boston.com
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