Player Discussion Zdeno Chara - II

[Wiggleboom]

Zdeno Chara’s new plant-based diet is paying off on the ice - The Boston Globe

Zdeno Chara is 40 years old. He weighs 250 pounds, his preferred playing weight. The Bruins captain is averaging a team-high 23:15 of ice time per game. Chara’s bosses count on him for extended shifts, like the 4:18 monster he submitted in a 4-1 win over Montreal Jan. 18 to help kill off a five-on-three Canadiens power play.

He feels fast, strong, and fit — and that is partly because of what he’s eating.

In September, shortly upon his return from Slovakia, Chara adopted a plant-based diet. He no longer eats beef, chicken, pork, or dairy, the usual go-to sources of fat and protein for an NHLer. He sometimes eats salmon and eggs, but has otherwise gone vegetarian: fruit, quinoa, brown rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, salad, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Chara likes Sweetgreen. He is a regular Whole Foods shopper.

The morning after a recent game, Chara ate oatmeal, fruit, and a smoothie for breakfast. After road games, he sometimes tucks into tofu on the plane. The travel crew adapted a recipe from Tatiana, Chara’s wife, for the entire team to enjoy postgame: rice pie with egg whites and dried fruit. Chara’s performance proves that even a 6-foot-9-inch colossus does not need porterhouses to fuel or rebuild his bulging muscles.

 

[sooshii]

 

[Bruinaura]

I watched this video today. It's a couple years old, but it's good. I never realized Recchi once tried to "fight" him. Or that Chara worked at a car wash where everybody liked him because he was the best at cleaning the car roofs.

 

[sooshii]

 

[Glove Malfunction]

Nice. I might actually do more than leaf through my SI this week.

 

[Bruinaura]

I just read it.

Good heavens.

 

[sooshii]

Chara remains obsessed in pursuit of outsized excellence

It’s an otherwise nondescript piece of office supply—dark blue, two pockets, letter size—but should serve as the collection’s crown jewel. Visitors will peruse the sheets of scrap paper, some already yellowing from age. They will scan the calendars and charts, pencilled in a blend of English, Slovak and inscrutable shorthand that spills into the margins. “But you won’t be understanding what it means,” Chara says. “If you do, then you are a genius.”
Here is the gist, decoded and translated: For almost three decades now, the 41-year-old Bruins defenseman has meticulously catalogued every single one of his offseason workouts. Each exercise. Each repetition. Each kilogram. Curious how many pucks he shot on, say, Aug. 31, 2014? How long he spent, oh, mountain biking on July 17, 1996? Those details live within that folder, protected by a plastic sleeve, stashed above his desk in the family’s combo office-playroom.

...
Great read

 

[missingchicklet]

Z for world leader! Has to be one of the more intriguing people in all of sports. Very nicely done article. The Bs would be fools not to try to keep him in the organization in some capacity after he retires, whenever that may be.

 

[Chief Nine]

Chara remains obsessed in pursuit of outsized excellence

It’s an otherwise nondescript piece of office supply—dark blue, two pockets, letter size—but should serve as the collection’s crown jewel. Visitors will peruse the sheets of scrap paper, some already yellowing from age. They will scan the calendars and charts, pencilled in a blend of English, Slovak and inscrutable shorthand that spills into the margins. “But you won’t be understanding what it means,” Chara says. “If you do, then you are a genius.”
Here is the gist, decoded and translated: For almost three decades now, the 41-year-old Bruins defenseman has meticulously catalogued every single one of his offseason workouts. Each exercise. Each repetition. Each kilogram. Curious how many pucks he shot on, say, Aug. 31, 2014? How long he spent, oh, mountain biking on July 17, 1996? Those details live within that folder, protected by a plastic sleeve, stashed above his desk in the family’s combo office-playroom.

...
Great read

Now that is one dedicated dude. Hell of a read. Thanks for posting Soosh!

 

[GordonHowe]

Chara remains obsessed in pursuit of outsized excellence

It’s an otherwise nondescript piece of office supply—dark blue, two pockets, letter size—but should serve as the collection’s crown jewel. Visitors will peruse the sheets of scrap paper, some already yellowing from age. They will scan the calendars and charts, pencilled in a blend of English, Slovak and inscrutable shorthand that spills into the margins. “But you won’t be understanding what it means,” Chara says. “If you do, then you are a genius.”
Here is the gist, decoded and translated: For almost three decades now, the 41-year-old Bruins defenseman has meticulously catalogued every single one of his offseason workouts. Each exercise. Each repetition. Each kilogram. Curious how many pucks he shot on, say, Aug. 31, 2014? How long he spent, oh, mountain biking on July 17, 1996? Those details live within that folder, protected by a plastic sleeve, stashed above his desk in the family’s combo office-playroom.

...
Great read

Just read this. Simply, I love Z.

So many have no clue how hard he has worked to make himself a hockey player, and an elite player at that.

I was over the moon the day the B's signed him, and remain so.

 

[BiGBear8]

wow he is a beast

 

[Bruinaura]

I recommend that they play that clip on the jumbotron before game 5.

Ahem.

 

[Gnome17]

Thought id share this video of him, playing in Sweden for my hometown team during the lockout in 04-05.
All of it isnt of Chara (Its about the team Färjestad during the lockout) but a fair bit is, feel free to jump through the video if you find the other parts boring.
What I especially remember from that season is that he was all business, he wasnt just coming to europe to have a chill season off against easier opponents, he came here to play and win. I know this isnt really surprising to those who know what Chara is about, but it stood out to me back then.
Overall it was a pretty amazing season with a lot of NHL stars playing here, Chara made it all the way to the finals but sadly lost there.

Perhaps the most interesting clip to you guys is at 1:20, and it involves a certain Vancouver swede...
After that little incident the Sedins cried out to the media about how Chara played outside the rules.
He responded with, and I quote; "They act like little girls on the ice". He also said hes never seen two players dive as much as the Sedins do

Thought some of you might get a kick out of it if you havent seen it before, enjoy!

 

[Bruinaura]

Congrats Zee!

 

[DKH]

unbelievable bully game for big Z; for no reason at all he would go after Hyman and poor Connor Brown. It was nuts- my seats are right there and those Leafs are just minding their own business and Z just slaps, pushes, cross checks, bear swipes, it was something....my kid says, 'geez, they talk about Marchand, but Z is just going after these guys for standing there'....Marner and Nylander especially were smart enough to stay away but Hyman and Brown who rely on that were getting slapped around like planes attacking King Kong on the empire state building

I enjoyed it but if Brown or Hyman was my kid or I was a Leafs fan I would have been pissed no calls and he was allowed to do this over and over

 

[BOSBruins]

unbelievable bully game for big Z; for no reason at all he would go after Hyman and poor Connor Brown. It was nuts- my seats are right there and those Leafs are just minding their own business and Z just slaps, pushes, cross checks, bear swipes, it was something....my kid says, 'geez, they talk about Marchand, but Z is just going after these guys for standing there'....Marner and Nylander especially were smart enough to stay away but Hyman and Brown who rely on that were getting slapped around like planes attacking King Kong on the empire state building

I enjoyed it but if Brown or Hyman was my kid or I was a Leafs fan I would have been pissed no calls and he was allowed to do this over and over

Thats playoff hockey. I thought the game was officiated very well last night.

 

[Dr Hook]

unbelievable bully game for big Z; for no reason at all he would go after Hyman and poor Connor Brown. It was nuts- my seats are right there and those Leafs are just minding their own business and Z just slaps, pushes, cross checks, bear swipes, it was something....my kid says, 'geez, they talk about Marchand, but Z is just going after these guys for standing there'....Marner and Nylander especially were smart enough to stay away but Hyman and Brown who rely on that were getting slapped around like planes attacking King Kong on the empire state building

I enjoyed it but if Brown or Hyman was my kid or I was a Leafs fan I would have been pissed no calls and he was allowed to do this over and over

Those two were being douchy throughout the series, though, especially Hyman. That moment in the 3rd period where Chara glared at Hyman after the whistle- it was a look you don't see much from him- Hyman must have been crapping his hockey pants. I am glad he brought a bit of the nasty.

 

[sooshii]

 

[sooshii]

unbelievable bully game for big Z; for no reason at all he would go after Hyman and poor Connor Brown. It was nuts- my seats are right there and those Leafs are just minding their own business and Z just slaps, pushes, cross checks, bear swipes, it was something....my kid says, 'geez, they talk about Marchand, but Z is just going after these guys for standing there'....Marner and Nylander especially were smart enough to stay away but Hyman and Brown who rely on that were getting slapped around like planes attacking King Kong on the empire state building

I enjoyed it but if Brown or Hyman was my kid or I was a Leafs fan I would have been pissed no calls and he was allowed to do this over and over

First, thank you for your attendance!
I don’t know if this is accessible, but a friend posted just such a King Kong vid snippet on FB:

 

[sooshii]

Not new, but didn’t see this one posted.

 

[whatsbruin]

Thought Z had a strong game 1 vs Tampa.
Looked much better than vs Toronto.
He will be needed.

 

[BobbyAwe]

Would love to see Z get another Cup

 

[BobbyAwe]

Only ones i think come close are larry Robinson and bob gainey... either way thats quite a foundation to build a cup team around

He's the most feared shut-down defenseman in history. A lot of that has to do with his size, of course, but his mind and his heart as just as big. If I were building an all-time team, he'd be among my first the top 5 picks for defensemen. (and at least 2 others in the top 5 would be Bruins too, of course). In my all-time Bruin fantasy team my regular strength pairing for Z is Bobby Orr. Orr doing the rushing and Z crushing anyone that tries to enter the Boston zone if Bobby gets caught up ice. That's a mind-boggling combo.

 

[jgatie]

He's the most feared shut-down defenseman in history. A lot of that has to do with his size, of course, but his mind and his heart as just as big. If I were building an all-time team, he'd be among my first the top 5 picks for defensemen. (and at least 2 others in the top 5 would be Bruins too, of course). In my all-time Bruin fantasy team my regular strength pairing for Z is Bobby Orr. Orr doing the rushing and Z crushing anyone that tries to enter the Boston zone if Bobby gets caught up ice. That's a mind-boggling combo.

What makes you think Bobby would ever get caught up ice?

Seriously, his ability to be all the way down past the goal line, then accelerate back to his own end to break up a play was unequaled in the history of the league. It was uncanny how he would appear out of nowhere, almost like he could teleport himself.

 

[LouJersey]

Thought Z had a strong game 1 vs Tampa.
Looked much better than vs Toronto.
He will be needed.

While fast, I don't think Tampa is as blazing as Toronto is. Also, TB stupidly tries to physically engage, which is a huge plus for us, because the whole team plays better when Chara is fired up.