Home / News / Zdeno Chara plays in 1,565th career game, passing Nicklas Lidstrom for fifth in games played by a defenseman

Zdeno Chara plays in 1,565th career game, passing Nicklas Lidstrom for fifth in games played by a defenseman

By Eliza Kravitz

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February 7, 2021 3:20 pm

Zdeno Chara played the 1,565th game of his career this afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 43-year-old surpassed long-time Detroit Red Wing Nicklas Lidstrom for the fifth-most games played by a defenseman in NHL history.

Chara had two shots and two hits against the Flyers on Super Bowl Sunday. He also took a four-minute double minor for high sticking.

Chara trails only Ray Bourque (1,612), Larry Murphy (1,615), Scott Stevens (1,635), and Chris Chelios (1,651). Chara is also 13th all-time for games played by any player.

Chara is currently in his 23rd season in the NHL. In 1996, Chara was drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round and would play his first season in the big leagues in 1997.

After playing four seasons with the Islanders and the Ottowa Senators he was traded to Boston in June 2006 and was named their captain that October. In his 15 seasons with the Bruins, he has won one Stanley Cup, a Norris Trophy, and the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.

So far with the Capitals, Chara has played 11 games and has two goals and two assists, including a goal against his former team.

More from the Capitals:

Zdeno Chara is expected to play in his 1,565th career game today against the Philadelphia Flyers, which will pass Nicklas Lidstrom for the fifth-most games by a defenseman in NHL history. He’ll be 35 games shy of becoming the fifth defenseman in NHL history to reach the 1,600 game mark, where he would join Chris Chelios (1,651), Scott Stevens (1,635), Larry Murphy (1,615) and Ray Bourque (1,612). Chara has averaged 20:30 TOI this season and is on pace to become the first player since 1997-98, both his first season and the NHL’s first season of tracking time on ice, to average at least 20 minutes per game at the age of 43 or older. Since 1997-98, Chara has led the NHL with 37,354:28 minutes, over 6,000 more minutes than the next closest player. Since 2018-19, Chara’s 61.2 goals for percentage at even strength (134 goals for, 85 against) ranks second among defensemen with at least 100 games played. This season, Chara became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to register a multi-point game at age 43 or older, joining Doug Harvey (five times), Tim Horton (two times), Chelios (Oct. 20, 2007) and Allan Stanley (March 20, 1969).

RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Flyers

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

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