The Bruins are bringing longtime captain Zdeno Chara back to the organization in a formal capacity, today announcing they’ve named him a hockey operations advisor and mentor. His main roles “will include building relationships and strengthening communication between players and coaches, attending practices and home games, and providing off-ice development support to defensemen,” the team said. “He will also serve as a resource for the team’s development staff and make periodic visits to connect with prospects at the AHL level.”
He’s a notable past-to-present bridge as the Boston organization continues to embark on a retool, particularly as first-time head coach Marco Sturm takes the reins. Chara hasn’t played for the club since 2020, departing in free agency to spend his final two NHL seasons with the Capitals and Islanders, but he served as the club’s captain and leader on the blue line for all of his 1,023 games after landing there in free agency in 2006.
Being a hockey ops advisor, Chara will report to general manager Don Sweeney. He’ll essentially serve a tier below assistant GMs Evan Gold and Jamie Langenbrunner, although if he’s open to it, a promotion to be on par with them shouldn’t be too far off.
He’s the second longtime Bruins defenseman to transition into a front office role with the club this month. They also recently promoted Adam McQuaid, who played with Chara for most of the 2010s, to their director of player development.
Chara’s 1,023 games as a Bruin rank third in franchise history among rearguards, trailing Sweeney’s 1,052 and Ray Bourque’s 1,518. His 1,680 total games played, including stops in New York, Ottawa, and Washington, make him the league’s all-time games played leader among defenders. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in this year’s class, but the Bruins haven’t yet retired his No. 33 jersey.