The Boston Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to a 1-year deal worth $5m

Adding to Chara’s payday is a potential $1.75 million in incentives. The 41-year old defenseman has been a key leader and player this season for the Bruins providing a steady presence on the blue line and leadership for many of the young Bruins.

Chara has played in 68 games this season and has rattled off 7 goals and 16 assists.

The big d-man has shown no signs of slowing down and has been averaging 23:00 minutes of TOI. Not only has Chara been logging big minutes but he’s playing at the top of his game and looks as if his age is a non-factor. Chara looks to return to the ice from injury soon and will play a pivotal role in the Bruins Stanley Cup run.

This signing is a huge win for the Bruins for so many reasons.

Chara is still playing like a top pair defenseman so he is worth that $5 million without a doubt but also his ability to take pressure off the younger Bruins is tremendous. With a slew of young defensemen in their system Chara is a guy that has no problem helping the youth adjust to the NHL (see McAvoy, Carlo).

A 1-year deal is harmless for a 41-year old seeing as how if he really does regress they only have to worry about him for 1 season. Chara’s presence in the locker room can’t be understated, he’s served as the B’s captain since the 2006-07 season. Although his offensive numbers may have slipped he still fits the bill of a top pairing d-man in terms of minutes and in terms of ability. He’s currently tied for 9th in the NHL for +/-. Chara in no means has been a liability and even if regress slightly he’ll still be an important piece for the Bruins next season.

It was obvious Chara didn’t want to play anywhere else as he signed before the season ended and never tempted free agency. The NHL’s  second oldest active player has at least 1 more season in Boston and who knows maybe he’ll have the chance to lift the Cup two more times.

– Written By Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith4386)