BOSTON BRUINS DEFENSEMAN ZDENO CHARA…
On the difficulty of the decision and what it means to retire a Bruin…
“It wasn’t difficult. I knew before this day. I knew quite earlier than today, but I waited a little and wanted to really soak everything in. We had some conversations with Cam and Don, and we were just waiting for the right timing. It’s a privilege, it’s such a huge honor, like said, to be part of this organization for so long and to retire as a Boston Bruin, it’s a huge amount of honor.”
On his plans for retirement...
“I’m not just going to completely just not follow hockey or follow the Bruins especially. I’m just going to take my time right now to really be home and see how much free time I have before I can actually commit to anything. It’d be really unfair to myself, my family, or to whatever I decide to do hockey-wise. To commit to something without knowing I can be committed one hundred percent to that specific job or task. Just want to enjoy being with my family, my kids especially. Just want to be taking days as they come. I think if there’s opportunities or there’s something that will present in the future, there’s always going to be a chance to step in. But as of right now, I’m just kind of going to take some time and see how it goes.”
On if he felt it was time…
“The biological age is always going to be there, you can’t deny it. I knew where I was, but that was not the main reason. I think the main reason was just to be home with my family. The past two years, I’ve been away constantly. It was weighing on me way too much, and I knew that first of all, it was time, and it was the right time to step away. Having three kids at home and being involved and not missing their birthdays or special occasions. I knew that was the right decision and I’m completely happy with it. I have no regrets, I would not change a thing. We are in a business where everything is judged by winning, but I had my share of highs and the lows, and that's ok. That's part of it. You learn from it, and you grow as a player, and you grow as a person. I'm completely at peace with it, I’m happy with it.”
On how he’ll drive himself with retirement…
“I'm not sure. I’m learning it. I'm living it right now, I can't really tell you that after three months of being away from the game or not following the same routine as I used to. I’ll tell you exactly how it is. It’s normal, I’m still active, and I still have that drive in me. Probably not at that level I need it or want it to for hockey, it’s more for me being in shape and feeling good and feeling good about myself. That’s not going to change or ever leave. I always really enjoy being in good shape and somewhat in some capacity compete. Whether that's just for me or against myself or doing some races or some stuff that I kind of like. I’m learning it. Basically, it’s something we all are going to have to go through, you're in such an everyday schedule-driven regime, and it’s great I loved it, I enjoyed it. But at the same time, now I don't have it, and that’s ok.”
On building a culture in Boston…
“Without that, you can’t win. You need to have a culture. You need to have players that want to follow, and it wasn’t just me. It was a team effort. I would have never done it without Patrice. I never would have done it without Brad coming in and following Patrice’s lead. We had guys stepping in willing to come from other teams and adjust to that culture. We pushed each other. We were practicing as hard as we could against each other, but we were still ok with it. We set goals, and slowly and surely, we were climbing and making these steps, but without the culture and without someone planting the seed and basically putting the foot down that this is how it’s going to be, yeah it was hard at the beginning. It was not probably easy, and not everybody wanted to kind of change, but it was necessary. I felt it was necessary for this organization and for this team to make a change. We had Cam arrive, we have Don step in; we have different people coming in and helping change the culture and make it better. Ultimately, we end up winning the Stanley Cup in 2011, and we came close two other times.”
On who brought out the best in him…
“They’re sitting right here: Patrice, Marchy. We always compete against each other in the practices, but we knew that that would make the best of us; it would just bring the best of us. It would just prepare us for the games. I always kept telling them, if the practice is harder than the game, then that’s how it should be so then the games became easier. There’s so many great players you play against over the span of 25 years; it would be – like I named a few. You had challenges every night against the best players in the world, but I think the biggest challenge you face is against yourself. You have to look at yourself every night before you step on the ice and make sure you’re ready. That’s the challenge you face every day, and you better be ready, because if you’re not, then you are not giving your best; you’re not giving one-hundred percent to the team, and it’s not fair if you don’t. So, as much as you compete against others, I think the biggest challenge or biggest task is competing against yourself and being at your best.”
On if he is no longer ready for the challenge…
“No, like I said, my decision was based on family. Listen, you tell me I cannot do something, I’ll make sure I do it. It doesn’t matter the age. It’s not that. It’s time to be home. It’s time for everything. I had my share of battles and all of these things. It’s time to be home with my family.”
On what he recalls from 2011…
“If you say what it means to me, I would correct you – what it means to us. We won it together. It’s not me because I was the captain. We did it together. We had such a committed group. We all bought in to what we did prior years in the practices. Every day, we made commitments to each other and to the team and the organization. To finally accomplish it in winning the Stanley Cup, it was such a relief and such a happy moment for everybody, because we did it together. We did it as a group. And the celebrations are just something we will never forget. If you ask any of us, that’s the best memories we have. Going to what you said about the city, I think it’s pretty special, this city, the fanbase we have, the success the teams have around here. It’s pretty special. I’m very happy, like I said. This is our home. My kids were born here, and we call it home, and we love this city and the fans.”
BOSTON BRUINS PRESIDENT CAM NEELY…
On if the Chara free agent signing was one of the best in history…
“Yeah, absolutely, I would agree with that statement, especially where the team was at that particular moment in time. Then what Zdeno not only brought on the ice but also in the locker room. We touched on it today: the leadership abilities and qualities he has and the demand that he had for his teammates to follow a certain lead and to really build back the culture of this organization, I think, was key. And it certainly led to the success that the teams that Zdeno had brought. Yeah, arguably the best free agent signing probably in history.”
On if the Bruins will be in Toronto for the Hall of Fame soon…
“I would find it hard to believe he is not going to be there.”
On if there is a moment that stands out that describes Chara…
“I went to go visit him after he broke his jaw in the playoffs in ’19 in the hospital, and he’s telling me he’s playing Game 5. I’ve had surgeries where you’re out…to me, that just showed everything about Zdeno and who Zdeno is – not only the toughness, but the commitment and understanding there are only so many kicks at the can."
On if the door is open for Chara to join the organization…
“Yeah, I am looking forward to having that conversation with him whenever he is ready to have that conversation. Obviously, having Zdeno around at whatever capacity would be a huge boost to the franchise, so we’ll see where it goes. Obviously, any athletes that retire, whether it’s on their choice or not, you still need some time to digest and kind of figure out what the next chapter is going to be. Not many have an idea of what they’re doing the following day they retire. Zdeno can take the time he needs, and we’ll see where it goes from there. You’re always going to be a Boston Bruin. Whenever the time comes, I want you to consider retiring as a Bruin. Obviously that’s something that was very special for him to do whenever that day came which was today. It made all the sense in the world for that to happen.”
BOSTON BRUINS CAPTAIN PATRICE BERGERON…
On Chara…
“He was a great mentor, a great person, a great friend. I am thankful for his friendship and everything that he meant to the Boston Bruins organization. This day brings back a lot of memories. Congratulations to the big man for everything that he’s accomplished. As we all know, a sure Hall of Famer, especially on and off the ice. That’s the most important part.”
On how special of a player he was…
“On the ice, we all know how he was, he really leaded well. How talented he was, how gifted he was. A real shutdown D-Man, but also offensively to have that shot and to make those plays. He was a force to be reckoned with. I was happy to be on his side, to be honest with you. I played against him when he was in Ottawa, and he was just so hard to play against. And to have him on your side it just gives you a lot of confidence. Off the ice as a leader, the way that he competed, the way that he demanded guys to give their best, and the work ethic. Touched on the culture that he brought in, and it's been a great journey to be with him.”
On Chara’s thoughts about family…
“Obviously, we love them, and that’s why we’re doing it. It’s a passion, it’s something that drives us. But also, family should always come first, and a lot of sacrifices are made. There comes a time when you reflect on that. I’ve had the chance to speak to him a few times before today. Good for him on everything he’s accomplished, all the accolades that he really deserves. It’s great that he’s going to be able to be with his family.”
On the difference before and after Zdeno arrived…
“I think it grew as it went along. It’s always harder when you… A lot of guys came in, as he talked about, to help. As we went along, Shawn Thornton and Mark Recchi, guys who had won before, had come into the locker room and helped. His competitiveness, that way that he demanded guys to compete and work, as we talked about the practices. It was always hard, going after each other. There's no hard feelings, guys are just going after each other…. We had some guys still do that are willing to buy into that and go with what he was saying as management.”