Age no issue in Chara's mind

By foxsports
Published

Many people don't like to talk about their age, but Bruins captain Zdeno Chara seemed defensive when discussing his elder status in the NHL with The Boston Globe. Chara is 38 years old, which makes him the 14th-oldest player in the NHL, and the age discussion is extra popular in Boston after Chara missed significant time this season with a partially torn ligament in his knee.

"I don’t understand why all of a sudden my age is an issue just because I got hurt and I missed a lot of games, a big chunk of the season,” Chara said to The Boston Globe. “I don’t like it. I don’t like when people start to judge you based on age or the amount of games you played. I still feel very motivated, very confident that I’m going to be healthy and strong next season. Obviously I am planning to play beyond what maybe people are guessing or expecting."

If Chara needs examples of other NHL players who are still effective at an advanced age, he could look to Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers. The 43-year-old Jagr signed a one-year contract with the Panthers the day after Florida's season ended. 

(h/t The Boston Globe)

Photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports