Player Discussion Zdeno Chara - II

[22Brad Park]

for all he`s done for this organization and is still doing, albeit not the guy we saw 5-6 years ago, DS can`t approach him with an offer that is disrespectful. Z knows he isn`t the Norris candidate he once was but you listen to Carlo/CM talk about the impact he`s had on them, just can`t replace that easily

Don Sweeney's job is to build a winner .Sweeney over paid him this year bigtime.He made millions with Bruins and will get his number retired.They owe him nothing.Offer him 2 million or c ya.He has to know he is near cooked.

 

[Over the volcano]

Don Sweeney's job is to build a winner .Sweeney over paid him this year bigtime.He made millions with Bruins and will get his number retired.They owe him nothing.Offer him 2 million or c ya.He has to know he is near cooked.

He leads the team in even strength+ short handed ice time -and the team is near the top of the league in goals against. What is that worth on the open market, 2 mil?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Don Sweeney's job is to build a winner .Sweeney over paid him this year bigtime.He made millions with Bruins and will get his number retired.They owe him nothing.Offer him 2 million or c ya.He has to know he is near cooked.

Harry Sinden post?

 

[22Brad Park]

Harry Sinden post?

Its the truth.Keep over paying players you have less for real needs and lose.6 million for him is an absolute joke.

 

[22Brad Park]

He leads the team in even strength+ short handed ice time -and the team is near the top of the league in goals against. What is that worth on the open market, 2 mil?

Yea it is cause of him.Get out of here with your baloney.He was out 5 weeks.I seen statues move better then him.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Yea it is cause of him.Get out of here with your baloney.He was out 5 weeks.I seen statues move better then him.

Yes, take those baloney facts elsewhere.

 

[JCRO]

Thoughts on him last night?

Was at the game and thought he looked solid for the majority of the game from what I saw.

Looked to get turned around on one of his last shifts then got beat out in the corner. And made a bad play out of the d zone.

Hope the rest did him well going forward. Thought he was looking tired prior to the ASG break.

 

[LSCII]

Thoughts on him last night?

Was at the game and thought he looked solid for the majority of the game from what I saw.

Looked to get turned around on one of his last shifts then got beat out in the corner. And made a bad play out of the d zone.

Hope the rest did him well going forward. Thought he was looking tired prior to the ASG break.

Took a bad penalty too when he and Miller got beat down the ice in the first period. Thought he and Miller looked the shakiest out of all the d pairings last night.

 

[Dr Hook]

Once the play gets static, or on the PK he does fine. When the play opens up he he gets exposed pretty bad. Still handling the puck like a grenade

 

[Sheppy]

So, by how mzny million will he be overpaid when we bring him back next year?

 

[Dr Hook]

So, by how mzny million will he be overpaid when we bring him back next year?

Well, let's say it isn't Chara but just a generic defenseman with the same skill set, speed, etc. How much would you pay him? Would you even sign him?

 

[LSCII]

Once the play gets static, or on the PK he does fine. When the play opens up he he gets exposed pretty bad. Still handling the puck like a grenade

This is exactly right. If he has to move, he's screwed. If he can remain stationary and guard a space, he's still effective. The question is though, how often are you not going to have to move your feet in this game now?

 

[Dr Hook]

This is exactly right. If he has to move, he's screwed. If he can remain stationary and guard a space, he's still effective. The question is though, how often are you not going to have to move your feet in this game now?

On the PK, against the less and less common "grinder" lines? Not enough to justify re-signing him if we get past the name. He has a lot to offer off the ice, so I'd rather they put him into some kind of coaching/mentoring role next season if he stays with the team.

 

[smack66]

I'm not worried about the big man this year but I'm intrigued to see how things are going to play out in the off season. He's likely to make 6.5 M this year and if Sweeney works from a pure business standpoint he should be offering him a one year contract with a decrease in salary for next year.
If he does that, I'm not sure how Chara reacts and if he offers him the same salary structure well, then I will be joining the Sweeney is in over his head team because I love Z but no way should he be making 6.5 in a salary cap era when this team needs scoring and is loaded with left D prospects.

 

[PB37]

Thoughts on him last night?

Was at the game and thought he looked solid for the majority of the game from what I saw.

Looked to get turned around on one of his last shifts then got beat out in the corner. And made a bad play out of the d zone.

Hope the rest did him well going forward. Thought he was looking tired prior to the ASG break.

I thought he was awful.

 

[Sheppy]

Well, let's say it isn't Chara but just a generic defenseman with the same skill set, speed, etc. How much would you pay him? Would you even sign him?

2.5/3 million.

I like Z, but if people don't think he's slowing down and becoming an issue, they're delusional. If he agrees to sign for under 3 million. Absolutely. He's made a ton of money.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

The fact that so many members of this board are calling for an extended tenure simply out of “respect” and because Z “deserves” it for his past contributions really disappoints me.

It’s a professional hockey team...not a volunteer fire department.

 

[Sheppy]

The fact that so many members of this board are calling for an extended tenure simply out of “respect” and because Z “deserves” it for his past contributions really disappoints me.

It’s a professional hockey team...not a volunteer fire department.

This.

When it's time to move on, it's time to move on. The time is this off season.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

He leads the team in even strength+ short handed ice time -and the team is near the top of the league in goals against. What is that worth on the open market, 2 mil?

You could use this exact same argument to credit multiple other defensemen on the team.

Or does Chara get all the credit for a low overall GA because he plays a lot of minutes? That stat is a hell of a lot bigger than any one player.

 

[Over the volcano]

You could use this exact same argument to credit multiple other defensemen on the team.

Or does Chara get all the credit for a low overall GA because he plays a lot of minutes? That stat is a hell of a lot bigger than any one player.

Ok, who. . . and which of them would you walk away from next year? Which would be worth only 2 mil on the open market?

Its absurd.

The fact that so many members of this board are calling for an extended tenure simply out of “respect” and because Z “deserves” it for his past contributions really disappoints me.

It’s a professional hockey team...not a volunteer fire department.

Might want to quote somebody - because from here it looks like a pretty thin straw man.

 

[Terrier]

Last night was the twentieth anniversary of Chara's first NHL goal.

 

[JCRO]

I'd like to see Sweeney hold off on his extension until the end of the Bruins season (hopefully after a playoff run) to really gage Chara and their options with him.

Any thought that he might be injured? Or is this the reality of his play now at his age?

 

[mjhfb]

No one expects Chara to have quick feet at this point, especially after his knee exploded.
My point of concern moving forward is with quick puck transitions - it seems that more and more he is throwing the puck to space and not managing it with tape to tape breakout passes. Part of that is being more stationary and not creating any separation to find that open seam pass.
If he can regain some semblance of a first few steps he'll be fine. If not..

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I think Sweeney is in a tough spot here, as are all GM’s that have to consider bringing back a guy that was once a star, but is fading.

He’s not running a country club, but the reality is that DS must be cognizant of what Z has done in the past and that he’s the Captain. The way he treats Chara sets the tone with all the players.

I have been of a mind that Z has been slowly, but steadily declining the last few years. I think Sweeney needs to have the conversation with him about coming back with a much-diminished role and paycheck, or not coming back at all.

He does need to do it very tactfully.

 

[JCRO]

I think Sweeney is in a tough spot here, as are all GM’s that have to consider bringing back a guy that was once a star, but is fading.

He’s not running a country club, but the reality is that DS must be cognizant of what Z has done in the past and that he’s the Captain. The way he treats Chara sets the tone with all the players.

I have been of a mind that Z has been slowly, but steadily declining the last few years. I think Sweeney need to have the conversation with him about coming back with a much-diminished role and paycheck, or not coming back at all.

He does need to do it very tactfully.

Hence my point of waiting until after the season is over (rather then getting another extension done in late March like last year).

IMO it would be of Sweeney's benefit to do this. Assuming Chara's play keeps declining as it has been recently (he was getting burnt before the break and the other night wasn't much better).

Chara could opt to walk after seeing how this season plays out and look to join a team he feels has a better shot at contending next year.

But it might happen anyways if Chara still expects something like the hefty extension he got last year.

Unless Sweeney hands it to him based on previous merit. Which is a terrible move for a GM to make like others have said above.