Growing sense Zdeno Chara won’t return to the Bruins this season

At first, we all got the feeling that there was no reason to believe  Zdeno Chara  won’t be in a Boston Bruins uniform to begin 2021. But now folks and pundits are starting to doubt. 

According to team insider Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now, there is a there’s a growing sense that he could sign elsewhere. His agent Matt Keator, claimed last week he’s received inquiries from over 20 teams and now it sounds like the Bruins are focused on finding other possible options to boost their back end instead of going back to their captain. 

It sounds like the Bruins might have interest in defenseman Ben Hutton, who remains an unrestricted free agent. He had 16 points and plus-minus of plus-five in 65 games last season with the Los Angeles Kings. Haggerty gets the sense that the 27-year-old blueliner could be an affordable fit for the Bruins, especially if Jakub Zboril, Urho Vaakanainen or Jeremy Lauzon aren’t ready for prime time.

It would be a tough blow for the Boston crowd if the Bruins lose Chara as well, after Torey Krug was not re-sign as a free agent and inked a long-term deal with the St. Louis Blues. 

While Chara’s agent claims his client focuses on the Bruins, the team might be shifting their focus which could lead to the veteran blue liner signing elsewhere. 

Chara has played for the Bruins since signing with them back in 2006 as a free agent and has captained the team for all 14 seasons of his tenure. He inked one-year deals to remain with the Bruins in both 2018 and 2019.
Last season, he averaged 21:01 of ice time and registered five goals and 14 points in 68 games. In 1,553 career NHL games, the Slovakia native has 205 goals and 656 points split between the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Bruins.

Where will he be when the 2020-21 NHL season begins on January 13?