Player Discussion Zdeno Chara IV

[Aussie Bruin]

I have a theory with Chara that they're waiting to see what happens with the upcoming season. If it goes ahead then they re-sign Zee on a close to minimum contract and he gets his farewell year.

But it's still entirely possible that there may be no 2020-21 season at all and in that case Chara is sadly done and there'd be no point giving him a new deal. If he was going to retire or, worse, go elsewhere, I strongly suspect it would already have happened by now. I think both parties know where they stand and are just waiting on the league.

 

[chrisab123]

What if he wants $2.5 - $3M? Do you blame the team for not signing him?

I do. You already opened this hypothetical door when you gave a guy who hasn't played in 2 years the ability to make 2 million dollars. Chara deserves more than Miller. So yes. Not that I'm a fan of that contract either but it just illustrates how insane that Miller contract was.

 

[PaulD]

No, it wasn't. Like I said, I was angry about. I got over it because of 2011. Still not over 2013 or 2019. Won't be over those until we win the Cup again.

011 should have bee the second of back to back Cups.

 

[chizzler]

I do. You already opened this hypothetical door when you gave a guy who hasn't played in 2 years the ability to make 2 million dollars. Chara deserves more than Miller. So yes. Not that I'm a fan of that contract either but it just illustrates how insane that Miller contract was.

Can’t argue with this.

 

[Dr Hook]

Ehhhh

Report: Chara Showing Interest In Signing With Leafs.

I reckon it's Murphy and all, but still, the guy isn't wrong all the time.

 

[talkinaway]

I have a theory with Chara that they're waiting to see what happens with the upcoming season. If it goes ahead then they re-sign Zee on a close to minimum contract and he gets his farewell year.

But it's still entirely possible that there may be no 2020-21 season at all and in that case Chara is sadly done and there'd be no point giving him a new deal. If he was going to retire or, worse, go elsewhere, I strongly suspect it would already have happened by now. I think both parties know where they stand and are just waiting on the league.

This is 110% correct. There are two possibilities I see:

1) Chara signs with Boston and plays in the abbreviated 2021 season - he's waiting to see if he likes the setup, and he likes it.
2) Chara retires - same deal as above, but he doesn't like the plan, and/or just isn't "feeling it" - the man's going to be 44 for most of the season.

I don't see him signing elsewhere. Boston wants him - his jersey number is available on the new reverse retro jerseys. If they thought he was unlikely to re-sign, they'd put up Krejci (who doesn't have a pre-fab jersey for sale). If you want to piss off a Bruins fan, make him pay $240 for a jersey of a player who you don't re-sign. Plus, they just featured him in the annual "giving pies to shelters for Thanksgiving" video, when there are at least other Bruins who I'm pretty sure are in town who could have filled in - Coyle and Wagner. I know he's the captain, but if you think there's any possibility of him not signing, you don't use him in your PR videos - he's already off of the official roster list.

The only other outside possibility I see is that he takes a year off and then "un-retires" for 2021-22. I suppose in that case he could go anywhere. But at his age, it seems like it would be a natural stopping point.

Then again, I have a poor track record with predictions like these - I didn't see Tom Brady going south in the winter of his career.

 

[Over the volcano]

His kids are what 5 and 10 years old - you just don’t get that time back. If the league moves to a bubble for 4+ months I’d say forget it. But that’s me

 

[Aussie Bruin]

This is 110% correct. There are two possibilities I see:

1) Chara signs with Boston and plays in the abbreviated 2021 season - he's waiting to see if he likes the setup, and he likes it.
2) Chara retires - same deal as above, but he doesn't like the plan, and/or just isn't "feeling it" - the man's going to be 44 for most of the season.

I don't see him signing elsewhere. Boston wants him - his jersey number is available on the new reverse retro jerseys. If they thought he was unlikely to re-sign, they'd put up Krejci (who doesn't have a pre-fab jersey for sale). If you want to piss off a Bruins fan, make him pay $240 for a jersey of a player who you don't re-sign. Plus, they just featured him in the annual "giving pies to shelters for Thanksgiving" video, when there are at least other Bruins who I'm pretty sure are in town who could have filled in - Coyle and Wagner. I know he's the captain, but if you think there's any possibility of him not signing, you don't use him in your PR videos - he's already off of the official roster list.

The only other outside possibility I see is that he takes a year off and then "un-retires" for 2021-22. I suppose in that case he could go anywhere. But at his age, it seems like it would be a natural stopping point.

Then again, I have a poor track record with predictions like these - I didn't see Tom Brady going south in the winter of his career.

Yeah I think for sure that's the other part of the equation that I didn't mention - if we do get a season of sorts but it's not to his liking, whether for family reasons or it won't suit someone his age or whatever else - then he'll simply hang up his skates.

I can well imagine Chara doesn't want his career to end in the damp squib that was the Bs in the bubble, but I don't think he'll play on at any cost either. So like the rest of us, he waits...

 

[NDiesel]

This is 110% correct. There are two possibilities I see:

1) Chara signs with Boston and plays in the abbreviated 2021 season - he's waiting to see if he likes the setup, and he likes it.
2) Chara retires - same deal as above, but he doesn't like the plan, and/or just isn't "feeling it" - the man's going to be 44 for most of the season.

I don't see him signing elsewhere. Boston wants him - his jersey number is available on the new reverse retro jerseys. If they thought he was unlikely to re-sign, they'd put up Krejci (who doesn't have a pre-fab jersey for sale). If you want to piss off a Bruins fan, make him pay $240 for a jersey of a player who you don't re-sign. Plus, they just featured him in the annual "giving pies to shelters for Thanksgiving" video, when there are at least other Bruins who I'm pretty sure are in town who could have filled in - Coyle and Wagner. I know he's the captain, but if you think there's any possibility of him not signing, you don't use him in your PR videos - he's already off of the official roster list.

The only other outside possibility I see is that he takes a year off and then "un-retires" for 2021-22. I suppose in that case he could go anywhere. But at his age, it seems like it would be a natural stopping point.

Then again, I have a poor track record with predictions like these - I didn't see Tom Brady going south in the winter of his career.

Yeah, but even if they don't re-sign him there are still tons of people who would buy his jersey. Just speaking for myself, I don't own a Bergeron or Chara jersey, but I can tell you even if they retire or play for another team there will be a point in time that I spend the money for both of them, because they are basically Bruins legends. As for the pie thing, he's still living in Boston, makes sense he would still be involved in the community.

 

[bruins4thecup65]

If it boiled down to Chara for one year or DuClair for two, I would take DuClair for 2 all day long.

 

[talkinaway]

Yeah I think for sure that's the other part of the equation that I didn't mention - if we do get a season of sorts but it's not to his liking, whether for family reasons or it won't suit someone his age or whatever else - then he'll simply hang up his skates.

I can well imagine Chara doesn't want his career to end in the damp squib that was the Bs in the bubble, but I don't think he'll play on at any cost either. So like the rest of us, he waits...

Yeah, I was thinking that too - and, not to get too off track, but I think Brady's final play for the Patriots is definitely one part of the reason why he didn't hang it up. Now, there's all the "TB12-pliability-don't-eat-tomatos" stuff that keeps him young, but he made a real stinker of a play to finish his Patriots career. He probably won't go out winning the Super Bowl, but at least a respectable showing would have been better.

Chara's last game will definitely be emotional for Bruins fans, and it would be a shame if it weren't in front of fans. That said, if he played in 2021, it still might not be in front of fans.

Yeah, but even if they don't re-sign him there are still tons of people who would buy his jersey. Just speaking for myself, I don't own a Bergeron or Chara jersey, but I can tell you even if they retire or play for another team there will be a point in time that I spend the money for both of them, because they are basically Bruins legends. As for the pie thing, he's still living in Boston, makes sense he would still be involved in the community.

But would they buy a retro jersey of a player who is on ANOTHER team, especially when they never wore that jersey? It'd be like having an Orr jersey in whatever style they had in 1977 - anachronistic. I'd get a Chara B's jersey even if he signed with another team, and I can see getting one even if he switched teams; I'd just get one that he actually wore.

And true that he's living in Boston, which is where his family is based except for the summer....but if the Bruins had any qualms about re-signing him, they could have easily called on one of the other two local boys. After all, at some point, the tradition has to be passed on, like it was when Soupy passed it to Chara.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

I'm guessing that Chara has a handshake deal with Sweeney. Whatever money Sweeney has left over will go to Z, won't happen for awhile though as moves are likely to be made close to the beginning of the season whenever that is.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

011 should have bee the second of back to back Cups.

That's quite the reach, eh?

 

[McGarnagle]

I'm okay if he sits out the start of the year to see how things even operate in the league this year, then signs on at the trade deadline and finish out the year as a penalty killing minute-eater. Keeps the mileage down on a 44-year old machine.

Do the Bruins need Zdeno Chara to play 48 regular season games to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic? Probably not. Do they need a fresh Chara to be able to advance in the playoffs? Probably.

 

[PaulD]

That's quite the reach, eh?

Yea it is.

010 - Since the 16th place Flyers ( made the play offs on the last game of the season) went all the way to game 6 of the finals (after upsetting Bruins) and lost in OT................ not such a long reach.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Yea it is.

010 - Since the 16th place Flyers ( made the play offs on the last game of the season) went all the way to game 6 of the finals (after upsetting Bruins) and lost in OT................ not such a long reach.

So how does that turn into the Bruins should have won the Cup? They should have beaten Philly so.....

Oh, of course then they should have beaten Chicago in the finals.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Give me Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien any day of the week. Cassidy has done well, and I appreciate that.

But current Bruins mismanagement? Sinden/OC redux.

And, it will take another season, more likely the one after that, for Charlie to step in and get rid of them. At which point, DN will have made back its concessions, with interest, but the club will be in the toilet.

Sound familiar?

When were the Bruins in the toilet?

 

[PaulD]

So how does that turn into the Bruins should have won the Cup? They should have beaten Philly so.....

Oh, of course then they should have beaten Chicago in the finals.

Hawks were a first rate team. As one guy put it the 013 Hawks and the 013 Bruins could play 101 games and it would end up 51-50. ha!

Flyers were no where near contention. Had a stiff in net. Bruins were up 3 games to 0.

Bruins were the best team in the 010 play offs (Caps and Pens already choked to Halak and the habs) Road was paved for them. But your right, that's why they play the games.

Its a reach I agree............... as was Philly making it to the finals that year.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Hawks were a first rate team. As one guy put it the 013 Hawks and the 013 Bruins could play 101 games and it would end up 51-50. ha!

Flyers were no where near contention. Had a stiff in net. Bruins were up 3 games to 0.

Bruins were the best team in the 010 play offs (Caps and Pens already choked to Halak and the habs) Road was paved for them. But your right, that's why they play the games.

Its a reach I agree............... as was Philly making it to the finals that year.

Don't forget that Bruins team would've been without Krejci moving forward.

For a team that struggled to score goals already, losing Krejci ended any cup dreams, especially against the Hawks

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Hawks were a first rate team. As one guy put it the 013 Hawks and the 013 Bruins could play 101 games and it would end up 51-50. ha!

Flyers were no where near contention. Had a stiff in net. Bruins were up 3 games to 0.

Bruins were the best team in the 010 play offs (Caps and Pens already choked to Halak and the habs) Road was paved for them. But your right, that's why they play the games.

Its a reach I agree............... as was Philly making it to the finals that year.

You mean besides Chicago, right?

 

[RustyBruins72]

That's quite the reach, eh?

Wow. I have never thought 010 was the year that got away from Bruins. Maybe, MAYBE, with a healthy Savard, MAYBE. and IIRC the Habs had the bruins number that season so that next round would have been tough.

I think Z is a bruin this year. He's waiting for the season details to be finalized as I don't think he wants a bubble again. Just my guess.

 

[BruinDust]

011 should have bee the second of back to back Cups.

Seriously?

You do realize that the 2010 Bruins team was 29th out of 30 teams in scoring during the regular season. The same team that lost it's top goal scorer (Sturm) and top F assist man (Krejci) during the playoffs.

Not to mention losing Seidenberg before the playoffs, and McQuaid during. Oh and the 2011 Conn Smythe winner was on the bench as he wasn't really healthy enough to play. Putting Stuart back in was subtraction by addition.

Meanwhile you had a coach that wouldn't use Marchand but rolled out Begin-Whitfield-Thornton for about 6 total minutes in Game 7.

In the playoffs their top 3 goal scorers were Recchi (6), Satan (5) and Lucic (5). Recchi was 42 at the time. Satan never played an NHL game after that Game 7.

Daniel Paille led all wingers in ice-time in Game 7. Daniel Paille.

Looking back I'm surprised they got as far as they did.

Oh and that 2010 Black Hawk team smokes the 2010 Bruins. For my money the best post-lockout team we've seen was the 2010 Hawks. They were loaded.

 

[GordonHowe]

When were the Bruins in the toilet?

"The 1996–97 Boston Bruins season was the team's 73rd season of operation in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins finished with the worst record in the NHL and missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1967."

After the lockout, which was supposedly going to supply the Bruins with all kinds of cheap talent after Mr. Burns ordered a roster purge,

2005-06 Boston Bruins Schedule and Results

Previous Season Next Season
Record: 29-37-16 (74 points), Finished 5th in NHL Northeast Division (Schedule and Results)
Coach: Mike Sullivan (29-37-16)
Captain: Joe Thornton
Primary Arena: TD Banknorth Garden
Goals For: 230 (25th of 30), Goals Against: 266 (20th of 30)
SRS: -0.36 (24th of 30), SOS: 0.07 (7th of 30)
Preseason Odds: Stanley Cup +1300

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

"The 1996–97 Boston Bruins season was the team's 73rd season of operation in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins finished with the worst record in the NHL and missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1967."

After the lockout, which was supposedly going to supply the Bruins with all kinds of cheap talent after Mr. Burns ordered a roster purge,

2005-06 Boston Bruins Schedule and Results

Previous Season Next Season
Record: 29-37-16 (74 points), Finished 5th in NHL Northeast Division (Schedule and Results)
Coach: Mike Sullivan (29-37-16)
Captain: Joe Thornton
Primary Arena: TD Banknorth Garden
Goals For: 230 (25th of 30), Goals Against: 266 (20th of 30)
SRS: -0.36 (24th of 30), SOS: 0.07 (7th of 30)
Preseason Odds: Stanley Cup +1300

So in 53 years they were really bad....twice.

How embarrassing.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

So in 53 years they were really bad....twice.

How embarrassing.

46 years ago i picked favorite teams in nearly every sport

Since then i stopped cheering/caring for those who truely sucked and screwed over their fan base

I only stuck to a franchise if they tried their best to win more than lose.

Realistically i know all teams will have a bad season from time to time. I didn't want a team thar rolled over and let a bad season turn into 3-4 years of misery

Only 1 team in the entire world earned my fandom.

Go bruins go