4 things we learned from Zdeno Chara’s conference call: Staying in shape amid lockdown, fate of 2019-20 season & more

Zdeno Chara, John Tavares, Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin spoke with the media on Monday afternoon as part of the NHL’s “Stars on Pause” series. Here are five takeaways from the conference call: 

Chara, like many other NHLers, has to use his ‘imagination’ to stay in shape

Given that all gyms, rinks and other facilities have all been shut down due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Chara has had to get pretty creative when it comes to staying in shape if/when the 2019-20 season resumes at some point this year. 

Chara, who noted on the conference call that he and his family drove to Florida earlier this month, said that he’s adjusted his schedule in order to continue to remain active — while the pleasant weather down in the Sunshine State has allowed for more flexibility when it comes to outdoor activities. 

“I think pretty much, like everybody else, the first few days you are kind of taking it easy and just using your imagination and your body,” Chara said. “Then, as you go further, I’ve been lucky — I have a few things down here, some dumbbells, a stationary bike, access to the pool, all these things. That was obviously one of the reasons why we decided to drive down here. … Trying to do what I can.

“Our training staff from Boston is sending us a few options we can follow as far as programs. Bike options. Guys can do it at home on their stationary bikes. And then obviously who doesn't have these options can go for a jog or run or roller skates, whatever you can do to keep in shape.”

Chara isn’t dwelling on Bruins’ strong season being in limbo

While just about every player, team, front office and fan are reeling from the suspension of all sporting events for the foreseeable future, the Bruins are in a particularly brutal spot — given that the 2019-20 season might stand as one of the last viable chances at a title for this current core of players.

At the time of the suspension of play, the Bruins stood atop the NHL standings with a record of 44-14-12, with their last win (a 2-0 victory over the Flyers on March 10) pushing the B’s past the triple-digit threshold in points — the first NHL club to do so this season.

While the potential cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign stands as a very viable (and devastating) scenario for Chara and the Bruins, Boston’s captain opted to take the high road when addressing the fears involving such a development — considering that so many factors remain and potential outcomes remain up in the air.

“It is obviously one of those situations that you can’t really control,” Chara said. “I think that right now we all kind of have to look after each other and after our families. I know it’s kind of a cliché answer — in these days I think that hockey’s secondary. But you know if you kind of have to look at it that way, yeah, it is kind of hard to kind of pause the league at that kind of stage where we were at with fewer games remaining and so close to the playoffs and the team playing well, with confidence.

“And we were obviously at a good pace. But who knows, I think that we can’t always wish for the perfect situation. I think that these situations, as we’ve seen, do happen once in a while. Hopefully we will play again and we’ll see when that’s going to be.”

Boston’s divisional foes don’t miss playing against Chara

Even at 43 years old, Chara’s imposing profile (6-foot-9, 250 pounds) still makes him one of the most feared players in the NHL — a sentiment shared by the three other Atlantic-Division skaters present on Monday’s conference call. 

“The crosschecks in front of the net, those are definitely something I definitely don’t miss,” Tkachuk said of what he misses the least about playing against Chara. “We have pretty good battles in front of the net, so when he lays the lumber on the shoulder, it definitely doesn’t feel as good. I’ve grown up watching him, I’ve met him a few times at a couple All-star games when we were younger. He was always super nice to us.”

Larkin added: “Just his competitiveness, his long stick, you can’t get around him or get by him. We have (assistant coach) Doug Houda, who had Big Zee in Boston for a while. He says just skate by him, but you can’t. His stick is so long, he’s got great feet and I definitely don’t miss when that puck does get by him, you get it deep and you’ve got to try to go in the corner and get it back from him. You know he’s going to get a piece of you somehow. 

“I don’t miss that, but it’s been great to grow up and watch him and then get a chance to play against him. Similar to guy like Pavel Datsyuk — I got to play with him, but you watch him on Youtube and it’s the same for Zdeno.”

Tavares concluded: “I can echo the price that you gotta pay in front of the net when you’re playing against Big Zee. I think there might be no worse situation than being stuck along the boards and being angled off by the big man and you got to embrace one of those body checks and hope that everything stays in place. That and I’ve had to block a couple of his clappers that I thought shattered a few bones, but luckily escaped. He’s got a bomb as well.”

Chara is glad to not be quarantined with Tuuka Rask these days

On a lighter note, Zdeno Chara did give his take about which teammates he'd most want to be quarantined with during this indefinite stretch:

"I could probably be with any of them," Chara said. "There’s a lot of teammates. I would have to go with my current team. I like to spend time with Charlie Coyle or Kevan Miller. Besides all of my teammates, they’re probably two that I like to hang out with and talk about different things."

As for the teammate that Chara wouldn't want to be cooped up with?

"I have to say Tuukka Rask," Chara said. "The way he farts? The smell is awful. He likes his chicken wings. After the chicken wings, I sit behind him on the bus — I gotta tell you, I've got to control myself sometimes."

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1244687348253765633

And people seriously think Rask isn't elite?