In the overseas hockey league, they saw different players - brave and courageous, cocky and calm, big and small, but, perhaps, such a hockey player as the Slovak Zdeno Hara does not exist in any hockey team in the world.
The birth of a giant
In Slovakia, a sport like ice hockey is very popular. Since childhood, every boy dreams of being like such stars of domestic hockey as Stefan Ruzicka. Zdeno Hara was not an exception, whose biography began in the town of Trencin, in Czechoslovakia. He was born in 1977, on March 18. His father was engaged in Greco-Roman style wrestling and even took part in the 1976 Olympics. So sports genes were laid in Zdeno Hara.
But unlike his father, he chose hockey and since childhood did not miss a single broadcast of the match of the national team of Czechoslovakia. The dream of every young hockey player was, of course, the overseas hockey league, which gathered the best and most gifted players in their clubs. But for this it was necessary to work hard, and Zdeno worked hard in training to fulfill his dream until the seventh sweat.
First NHL club
Ice hockey in Canada and the USA is considered one of the most popular sports, and to get into the top team, you must be a truly talented hockey player. Hara began his career in the overseas league with the Prince George Cougars club in 1996, and a year later he was chosen under the 56th number of the famous New York Islanders.
After spending four seasons for the New Yorkers, Zdeno Hara was not particularly distinguished, and the whole team was going through hard times. The first significant club in his career was the Ottawa Senators, which he joined in 2001. “Islanders” have long dreamed of getting Alexei Yashin, who at that time was one of the leaders of the Canadian club. There was an exchange that season: Hara went into the ranks of the “senators”, and Yashin received elegant conditions by signing a contract with the New York Islanders.
Canadian Club Ottawa Senators
Later, the managers of the New York club will again and again regret this exchange: their bet on Yashin did not work, he simply disappeared into the team and was no different, and Hara perfectly revealed his full potential as a defender and became irreplaceable.
Zdeno Hara spent the very first season for the new club on the rise, almost doubled his attacking actions, which could not but affect the team’s game as a whole. In the second season, he was already honored to get to the match of all stars and for the first time to demonstrate his throwing power. He was barely enough to get around the then leader and record holder Al McKinnis. Then he became the second in this contest of "gunners".
Despite its far from hockey dimensions (206 cm), Zdeno Hara does not look heavy and clumsy on the ice, this does not affect his speed qualities in any way. At any moment he is ready to carefully cover his striker, and he acts quite neatly on the spot near his own goal, blocking the opponent’s path on the one hand, and on the other hand, not blocking the goalkeeper’s view of the entire area.
Boston Bears
In 2006, Zdeno Hara (whose statistics improved every season), received the status of a free agent, having failed to agree on a new, profitable contract with Ottawa Senators. But such defenders as Hara do not lie on the road, and the hockey player was not left without a team for a long time. The next club with which he signs a 5-year contract is Boston Bruins.
Not only does he make a profitable deal with the “bears," he also becomes the captain of the club. Before him, only two immigrants from Slovakia succeeded - Peter Štjasny and Stan Mikita. This season, Hara is already familiar to everyone becomes a participant in the match of all stars, and, finally, wins the competition in terms of throwing power. The clear leader in this indicator, Zdeno Hara sends the puck at a speed of 100.4 miles per hour. Also in fights, he scores and two goals.
Dirty player
This is not to say that the Slovak legionnaire is distinguished by a soft game on the hockey platform. Statistics of penalty points for the season is quite impressive. But with such dimensions it will not be possible to play differently, especially since it bears responsibility for the result of the fights. All players and the coach of the Boston “bears” are very fond of and value their captain precisely because he is always ready to help with practical advice and give the right mood before the match.
Despite the fact that Zdeno Hara has repeatedly set a new record in throwing power, for him more important is the success of the team. According to him, he would give all his personal titles in return for the opportunity to raise the Stanley Cup over his head. “Big Z”, as they call it in the NHL, is the true leader of his club, who does not spare the ice not only his rivals, but also himself. Indeed, in tough collisions, Hara himself received rather dangerous injuries, even underwent several operations.
But the love of the game called “hockey” makes the Slovak Gulliver go out onto the ice as the last time and not save his strength and health for the club’s victory.