The Bruins didn’t officially announce when or even if Zdeno Chara’s number would be retired, but Cam Neely confirmed it would happen eventually.
Tuesday’s event which featured Chara signing a one-day contract to retire with the Boston Bruins followed by a press conference made the end of the 45-year-old’s playing career official.
But the expectation has always been that another ceremony would eventually follow. Chara’s status a longtime Bruins captain, future Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup winner all but assured that No. 33 would eventually hang in the TD Garden rafters with the franchise’s other greats. Neely obviously agreed.
“I mean with all he’s done for the franchise, it’s kind of a no-brainer,” he told NESN.
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At the press conference Neely was asked if he thought Chara, who the Bruins signed as a free agent from the Ottawa Senators, was the best signing in history.
“Absolutely, I would agree with that statement, especially where the team was at that particular moment in time. Then what Zdeno not only brought on the ice but also in the locker room,” Neely said. “The leadership abilities and qualities he has and the demand that he had for his teammates to follow a certain lead and to really build back the culture of this organization. ...It certainly led to the success that the teams that Zdeno had brought. Arguably the best free agent signing probably in history.”
Neely said he expected Chara to be in the Hall of Fame soon and said the door was open for him to work for the Bruins in some capacity.
“I would find it hard to believe he is not going to be (in the Hall of Fame),” Neely said. “I am looking forward to having that conversation with him whenever he is ready to have that conversation. Obviously, having Zdeno around at whatever capacity would be a huge boost to the franchise, so we’ll see where it goes.”