Zdeno Chara is set to be honored in Slovakia on Aug. 21, when the former New York Islanders defenseman takes part in “Zee’s Final Shift” at the Winter Stadium in Trenčín.
The event marks a farewell game for the 49-year-old Hockey Hall of Famer, who started his NHL career with the Islanders in 1997-98 and later returned for his final NHL season in 2021-22. Chara has brought together a long list of former teammates for the occasion, including several players with Islanders ties.
Johnny Boychuk and Dennis Seidenberg are among the invitees. Neither played with Chara on Long Island, but both won a Stanley Cup with him in Boston in 2011 and now work in the Islanders’ player development department.
Zigmund Palffy will also be there. He was in his fifth season with the Islanders when Chara arrived in 1997-98, and the two shared part of two seasons together.
Miroslav Satan, another Slovakian connection, played with Chara in Boston during the 2009-10 season and spent three years on Long Island from 2005 to 2008.
Tomas Vanek’s Islanders stint was much shorter, lasting 47 games in 2013-14 after he was acquired and then moved before the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline.
The rest of the guest list is loaded with familiar names: Marian Hossa, Chris Kelly, Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Andrew Ference, Michal Handzuš, Jaromír Jágr, Tomáš Kaberle, Duncan Keith, Anže Kopitar, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, Adam McQuaid, Daniel Paille, David Pastrňák, Mark Recchi, Robert Reichel, Andrej Sekera, Marco Sturm, Aaron Ward, and Jakub Voráček.
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