Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand knows better than shaking former teammate Zdeno Chara, even though he is now an opponent.
“No, you don’t want to bite the bear,” Marchand said.
Chara faces the Bruins on Saturday for the first time since leaving Boston as a free agent, signing with the Washington Capitals in the offseason. The Bruins wanted to reduce their playing time to give the younger defenders a longer look.
Chara, 43, considered he could still collaborate regularly in the NHL and his 14-year tenure in Boston ended with a one-year contract in DC
“I love them like my brothers,” Chara said Friday. “We understand that this is a business. We have to play for our teams and compete around here. But at the same time, we have something very deep, that goes back a long way and we will keep those memories.”
Marchand knows any worship that is shared between the Bruins and Chara will not be transferred to the ice.
“He’s the kind of guy where when you’re out there you’re an opponent. He won’t have any friends. He’s going to play the game and compete and fight,” Marchand said. “I’m not going to bite the bear in any way. The most important thing I can do is skate it. If you get that far or within its reach, you’re not going anywhere.”
Chara said he doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary from Marchand at his first meeting either.
“I don’t think it’s any different,” he said. “He’s a guy who will always come out and compete for his teams. I think we had a lot of practice between us and we both compete quite a bit. I don’t expect anything more from him or anyone.”
Chara has averaged 20:29 in ice time per game for Washington. In eight games, he has a goal and two assists, reaching the first Thursday as the capital in his victory over the New York Islanders. When asked if he has shown that he can still be a regular player instead of the spare part the Bruins saw him in, Chara said, “I’m trying to focus on trying to help this team the best I can.”
There’s more to Saturday’s game (7pm ET, ESPN +) than this exciting reunion: the Capitals are in first place in the Eastern Division with 13 points in eight games and Boston is behind them with 11 points in seven games .
“I don’t think so much will happen to me playing against the Boston Bruins. I think they are two very good teams, playing for two points that tomorrow will be there to catch,” Chara said.
Still, they are Zdeno Chara and the Boston Bruins. The former captain. The defensive star. The man who first lifted the Stanley Cup when Boston first won in 39 years in 2011.
“It will be weird to see him in a different uniform,” Marchand said.