Watch: Boston favorite Zdeno Chara receives massive cheer from TD Garden crowd at NBA Finals 

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jun 07, 2024 03:22 GMT

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On Thursday, former Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara received a warm welcome and loud cheers from the crowd at TD Garden during Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.

In the finals this year, the C's have home court advantage. Zdeno Chara, the legendary Bruins defenseman and leader for 14 seasons, was among the prominent guests on the night, showing his support for the home team.

Chara displayed his support by donning a Celtics jersey with Porzingis on the back. As the former defenseman walked onto the court, he was greeted with a huge cheer from the TD Garden crowd.

Watch the video here:

When Boston Bruins crowd overwhelmed Zdeno Chara

Chara faced a tough time during the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues. In Game 4, he suffered a broken jaw after being hit by a puck in a 4-2 loss.

Fans were concerned as it was revealed that the 6-foot-9 defenseman was in severe pain, leading to speculation that his series might be over.

However, in Game 5, when Zdeno Chara's name was announced, the crowd at TD Garden erupted with excitement, showing their support for the veteran defenseman and leaving him feeling overwhelmed by the reception.

Chara later revealed to reporters that he had "multiple fractures" in his jaw and required pins on the right side to keep it stable as it was split into two parts.

Zdeno Chara was drafted No. 56 overall by the New York Islanders in the 1996 NHL draft. At 6-foot-9 he was the tallest player in NHL history. Chara joined the Boston Bruins in the 2006-07 season and remained club captain for 14 seasons.

He emerged as one of the best defensemen in the league with the Bruins and won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the league in 2009. Under his leadership, the Bruins also won their sixth Stanley Cup championship in 2011.

Chara made a return to the Islanders for the 2021-22 season, which ultimately became his final season in the league. On Sept. 20, 2022, the Slovakian announced his retirement from professional hockey, sharing that he would be signing a one-day contract with the Bruins to formally retire as a member of the club.

Apart from the Islanders and Bruins, Chara also played for the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals. He finished his career with 680 points accumulated through 209 goals and 471 assists in 1,680 games.