Chara personally anoints Bergeron as the Bruins’ next captain

In case you missed the news yesterday, longtime Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara shocked the hockey world by signing a one year contract with the Washington Capitals.

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OFFICIAL! BIG Z TO DC!

The Washington Capitals have agreed to terms with defenseman Zdeno Chara to a one-year, $795,000 contract.

Full Details: https://t.co/1Pqb61mP5q #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Ad50bX7LvA
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 30, 2020

"We are extremely pleased to have Zdeno join the Capitals organization. We feel his experience and leadership will strengthen our blueline and our team," said Capitals GM Brian MacLellan in a prepared statement. Chara released a statement himself and essentially said that the Bruins walked away from him without giving him a contract offer.

During a Zoom call with the media earlier today Chara clarified himself and said that the Bruins negotiated in good faith with him, but essentially told him that he'd be nothing but a "reserve player."

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Zdeno Chara -- on zoom call -- said BOS negotiated in good faith (he declined to badmouth the Bruins), but he chose to move on because role would be limited..."more of a reserve player."
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 31, 2020

That apparently didn't jive with the ultra competitive and motivated Chara, so he elected to move on elsewhere for a better opportunity. There are no guarantees in D.C. of course, but the 43 year old is looking forward to a new challenge.

With his departure from Boston though, there's a giant, 6 foot 7 inch, 240 pound hole in the Bruins' leadership group though. Everyone expects longtime Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron to take over the captaincy from Chara. In fact, Chara himself has gone so far as to anoint Bergeron himself.

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