Bruins Fans and Analysts Furious With NHL Network Over Zdeno Chara Disrespect: 'Inexcusable'

The NHL's summer is full of rumors, but the NHL Network took things for a turn and has made an "educated" guess at filling the void with lists, like its recent Quarter Century Team.

Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron was a certainty, but the absence of Zdeno Chara from the list of blueliners is, however, difficult to overlook, and fans have voiced their displeasure.

As soon as the Bruins signed him in 2006, they redefined the franchise. They made him captain before he even played one game, and right away, the message sent was one of a new era.

He patrolled Boston's blueline for more than a decade with his size and shutdown skill, harassing the opposition and stamping the franchise's mark.

Zdeno Chara wasn't famous merely for his powerful shot, but also for his clutch captaincy. During the 2011 playoffs, he led Boston to their Stanley Cup-winning campaign.

In 2019, he famously battled through multiple jaw fractures in the Final against St. Louis, but was unable to bring the Cup home that year.

Despite the choice of Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Weber on this list, neither one of those two has a Norris Trophy, which Chara won in 2009. His resume, leadership, and contributions to Boston make his exclusion from the list almost indefensible.

Chara's legacy isn't about awards; it's what he helped contribute to building the franchise and winning a championship. It's an injustice to one of the all-time great defensemen of his generation that he was not included on the Quarter Century Team.