Zdeno Chara is not formally retired as of now, but at this point his NHL days are all but officially over. At 45 years old, it’s been an unparalleled career for what is the physically most unique player in hockey history. At 6’9 and 250 pounds, Chara put 1,680 games under his belt, with legendary stories about his conditioning and the shape he’s been able to carry himself in to maintain such a storied career.
Chara’s NHL career started in 1997-98 — a full seven years BEFORE the NHL even had a salary cap. It’s incredible to think how long and how much staying power he had.