Zdeno Chara

Raised in Trenčín, Zdeno Chára learned his hockey with HC Dukla Trenčín before moving to North America; his 2.06 m frame made him instantly recognizable and led to the nickname “Big Z.” He finished his career known as the tallest player to ever skate in the NHL.

Selected 56th overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Chára began in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars and then established himself in New York. In 2001 he was traded to the Ottawa Senators, where his game advanced from a stay-at-home role to a two-way presence, producing career-high totals and earning All-Star recognition.

The defining move of his club career came in 2006 when he signed with the Boston Bruins and was named captain. In Boston he won the Norris Trophy in 2009 and led the team to the Stanley Cup in 2011 as captain. He became a regular at All-Star events and repeatedly won the hardest-shot competition, setting and resetting the NHL benchmark several times.

Internationally Chára represented Slovakia, collecting two World Championship silver medals and winning a silver with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey; he also served as Slovakia’s flagbearer at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. His longevity is notable: 24 NHL seasons from 1997 to 2022 and a record 1,652 regular-season games played by a defenseman.

On the ice he combined strong physical play with an exceptionally hard slap shot, frequently used on the power play and in key defensive minutes. Chára closed his playing career by signing a one-day contract with Boston on 20 September 2022 to retire as a Bruin, and in 2025 he was inducted into both the IIHF Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame.