Carolina uses a Retirement Save to keep Chara on the club for one additional season.
UPDATE: August 8th - Zdeno Chara is staying a Hurricane for one more season. Carolina announced late Sunday that the 44-year old defenseman received a Retirement Save, which was accepted by the league. This insures Chara will play one more season, but is now guaranteed to retire after the following season or playoffs, should the Canes qualify.
ORIGINAL STORY BELOW:
Zdeno Chara announced plans to retire from BEARD Hockey on Monday, bringing an amazing 24-year professional career to a possible close after appearing in 81 games for the Carolina Hurricanes this past season.
The retirement is of course pending the use of a retirement save, which Canes GM Jay Williams may use next month to retain Chara's services for one additional season.
Chara contributed 4 goals and 25 assists while being +19 in his possibly final season in BEARD Hockey. The sure-fire hall-of-fame defenseman has appeared in over 1600 NHL games, with 207 goals, 459 assists, and 666 points in his storied career.
"It's been an amazing run," said Chara, who would be leaving three additional years and $5.5 million per season on the table if Carolina doesn't use his retirement save. "If this is it, I have absolutely no complaints. Not too many people can say they've played at this level for this long, so we'll see what happens. I'm at peace with it either way."
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