We spoke earlier about New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and whether or not he’d seen his final days in a Rangers’ uniform. With the potential cancellation of the NHL regular season, and the Rangers not in a playoff spot, this could be it for Lundqvist who is stuck in a three-headed goalie situation.
Another player that may be looking at the end of his NHL career is Zdeno Chara. His situation is vastly different than Lundqvist’s, in that, he’d be welcomed back with the Boston Bruins and if the NHL season does kick back in, it will likely be to complete the playoffs and the Bruins are a Stanley Cup contender, where Chara will be a key factor.
Still, there’s no telling how long this “pause” will be and if the playoffs will be affected. If so, Chara has some career decisions to make, decisions he’s not yet thinking about.
Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe notes that at 43 years old, Chara is uncertain about what comes if the season isn’t a go. His longtime agent, Matt Keator said Chara and Bruins GM Don Sweeney will sit down at some point “and figure out what’s next.” That could include a variety of scenarios.
Dupont writes that the Bruins will have the cap space if the projections of an increase are accurate but, “the question then will be if Chara wants to give it another go.” Dupont notes that when asked, Chara politely said a lot of things, “but he didn’t say yes.”
There’s also no guarantee the cap increase will come if the owners lose a boat load of money from the season being suspended. And, at his age, should things get pushed back and this season-to-next condensed, little rest for players like Chara isn’t ideal.
For now, there’s a lot we don’t know. Chara might be in better shape than a number of players 10-15 years his younger but based on how the next few months in the NHL unfold, Chara might be affected more than others.
Related: Is Henrik Lundqvist’s Career As a Rangers’ Goalie Over?
