Zdeno Chara and P.K. Subban Announce Their Retirements
SPORTSNET: Zdeno Chara has signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and has announced his retirement from the NHL after 24 seasons. P.K. Subban also announced he is retiring after 13 NHL seasons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This may be the first time that two former winners of the James Norris Memorial Trophy announced their retirements not just on the same day but within minutes of each other.
Zdeno Chara (right) and P.K. Subban (NHL.com).
Chara became one of the best defensemen of his era. Debuting with the New York Islanders in 1997-98, the 6’9”, 250-pounder blossomed into a star after being traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001, spending four seasons with them. He was a First-Team All-Star and a Norris Finalist in 2003-04 and was named to the Second Team in 2005-06.
It’s fitting that Chara is retiring as a Bruins. Joining them in 2006-07, Chara truly came into his own as a great all-around defenseman and a respected leader during his 14 seasons in Boston. He led them to three Stanley Cup Finals and one championship (2011), won the Norris in 2008-09 and become a finalist four times. He was also named to the First All-Star Team twice and was a three-time member of the Second All-Star Team.
Chara spent the final two seasons with the Washington Capitals and the Islanders. He holds the record for most games played by an NHL defenseman with 1,680, finishing with 680 career points and 2,085 PIMs, along with 70 points in 200 career playoff games. Don’t be surprised if he’s elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Subban made his NHL debut in 2009-10 with the Montreal Canadiens. He quickly established himself as a gifted puck-moving defenseman with a hard shot from the point and was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2010-11. He netted 115 goals and 467 points in 834 career games and 62 points in 96 playoff contests.
A flashy, entertaining player personable with reporters and popular with fans, Subban’s seven seasons with the Canadiens were his best. He won the Norris Trophy in 2012-13 and earned a place on the First All-Star Team. He was named again to the First Team two years later and was also a Norris finalist that season.
Traded to the Nashville Predators in 2016, Subban helped them reach the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. He was named to the Second All-Star Team in 2017-18 and was again a finalist for the Norris. In 2019, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils where he spent the remainder of his career. He was honored with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy last season for his charitable work.
So, I guess we can gather from that that Subban wasn’t weighing any offers or holding back for “the right offer” – because there weren’t any.
I read one pto from nyr for pk. Think he wanted a contract
No George. Two things can be true. Subban could of been weighing options and holding back for the right offer. Offers could of been given.
One opinion is as equally plausible as the other I suppose. But offers do tend to leak out – or at least rumors of offers. In his case the silence was deafening.
was a bit surprised pk still a little in the tank, Chara’s been running on empty for two years.
I guess that one less player bruins fans have to worry about Sweeney picking up
George, didn’t Chara play for the Sens at one time?
And to self, didn’t the Leafs have a certain goalie who ended up in Boston as well?
You had to remind me eh? Every time I think about Letting Chara get away in order to keep Redden I get a little black cloud over my head and my fists clench!
Congrats to both Big Z and PK on their retirements
As I posted earlier… my take re PK retiring…. he knew that he was never playign top pairing again; maybe 1 or 2 teams that would have considered him (maybe) for their mid pairing… so he was at best looking at bottom pairing; likely $1M or less; on a non playoff team; and having to suit up and do a gruelling 82 games….
vs wearing a suit (no gruelling 82 games and practices and pre-season) and making at least 1/2 of that on TV broadcasts/Podcasts/etc etc
I am a bit surprised
I’ll not be happy if Sully plays Ruhweedel all season and we find out that PK would have taken about the same to play for Pens….. PK, much muhc ….bigger, better, faster, stronger, and waaaay better offensively and defensively than CR
Rant done
Congrats to both Big Z and PK on their retirements
As I posted earlier… my take re PK retiring…. he knew that he was never playign top pairing again; maybe 1 or 2 teams that would have considered him (maybe) for their mid pairing… so he was at best looking at bottom pairing; likely $1M or less; on a non playoff team; and having to suit up and do a gruelling 82 games…..
vs wearing a suit (no gruelling 82 games and practices and pre-season) and making at least 1/2 of that on TV broadcasts/Podcasts/etc etc
I am a bit surprised
I’ll not be happy if Sully plays Ruhweedel all season and we find out that PK would have taken about the same to play for Pens….. PK, much muhc ….bigger, better, faster, stronger, and waaaay better offensively and defensively than CR
Rant done
best of luck to the recently retired (Subban,Chara,Yandle).
I wonder if Subban will go right into broadcasting like he did in the playoffs with ESPN, or possibly a marketing/community involvement position with a team like the Habs
I don’t see the B’s retiring Chara’s number this year (in the event he decides to unretire later in the year) but maybe next season the B’s should retire it