Zdeno Chara was drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round in 1996 and initially served as a peripheral, physical defenseman. Agent Matt Keator made himself available, driving to Long Island for a daylong meeting that included lunch and dinner and established a lasting professional relationship. Chara's career accelerated after a trade to the Ottawa Senators in 2001 as part of the Alexei Yashin deal that included the No. 2 overall pick, Jason Spezza. Chara matured into a 6-foot-9 athlete whose rigorous fitness and commitment to his craft transformed him into a dominant blue-line presence. Chara will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"And he was all shocked that I would prioritize him, I think. I hopped in the car and drove down to Long Island to meet him. At the time, he was the No. 6 defenseman on the Islanders, a throw-it-off-the-glass-and-out type, growing into his body still. So I drive down and we were supposed to have lunch. We ended up having lunch and dinner. I stayed all day and we talked all day."
"His career took off when he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001 in a deal for Alexei Yashin that included the No. 2 overall pick (Jason Spezza) and jump-started a good run for Ottawa. In that time, Chara grew into his massive 6-foot-9 frame and, with a truly unique dedication to his fitness and craft, became a force on the blue line."
Read at Boston Herald
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