The sequence of events was quite astonishing for Zdeno Chara.
Duncan Keith experienced the very same sentiment, albeit from a contrasting perspective.
Chara and his Boston Bruins maintained a 2-1 advantage in the waning moments of Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup final, squaring off against Keith and Chicago. A triumph on their home turf would have secured a decisive Game 7 showdown in the Illinois city.
But fate took an unexpected turn. The visiting team managed to score twice within an incredible 17-second burst, leaving the Bruins stunned with a 3-2 defeat and granting Chicago their second championship in just four years.
“It was a shock to us,” Chara admitted over a decade later. “That’s how sports are, and that’s how life is.”
Keith, on the other hand, had been dreading the thought of a high-stakes Game 7 just moments before.
“It’s truly not concluded until the final buzzer,” he remarked. “Achieving this against such a formidable team makes it all the more remarkable.”
Chara and Keith, both distinguished defensemen boasting impressive NHL and international records, are set to share a momentous occasion on Monday as they are formally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 cohort.
“It definitely prompts introspection,” Keith reflected on Saturday after the inductees received their Hall of Fame rings and blazers. “It’s been a lengthy journey made possible by numerous individuals who have supported me.”
The induction ceremony will also honor fellow hockey legends Joe Thornton, Alexander Mogilny, Jennifer Botterill, and Brianna Decker. Jack Parker and Danièle Sauvageau will be recognized as builders within the sport.
“I cherished every second,” Thornton expressed, recalling his 24-season NHL tenure. “Beginning at 18 [years old] and continuing until 42, I was immensely privileged.”
Jennifer Botterill was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2025 Tuesday. Winnipeg-born defenceman Duncan Keith is also part of the class.
Bruins captain for 14 seasons
Chara, at the age of 48, was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in 1996 and subsequently traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001. However, his career truly gained momentum after he signed with the Boston Bruins.
The towering six-foot-nine defenseman hailing from Trencin, Slovakia, dedicated 14 seasons to the Bruins, serving as their captain throughout the entirety of his tenure from 2006 to 2020. During his leadership, the Bruins captured the Stanley Cup in 2011 and reached the finals on two other occasions.
As only the second European captain to raise hockey’s most prized trophy, Chara also participated in three Olympic Games and seven World Championships. He earned six All-Star selections and was honored with the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s premier defenseman in 2009.
Renowned as the tallest player ever to compete in the league, Chara amassed 680 points across 1,680 regular-season games, adding 70 points in 200 playoff matchups.
WATCH | Chara could ‘set the tempo of a game physically on his own’:
Keith dedicated 16 seasons to the Chicago Blackhawks after his debut in 2005, securing Stanley Cup victories in 2010, 2013, and 2015, alongside four All-Star selections.
The 42-year-old Winnipeg native claimed Olympic gold medals for Canada in 2010 and 2014, earned the Norris Trophy twice, and received the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2015 playoffs.
Keith was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2021 and played one additional season, concluding his career with 646 points in 1,256 games and adding 91 points in 151 playoff appearances.
Thornton was chosen as the first overall pick by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Draft, serving as their captain from 2002 until his trade to the San Jose Sharks in 2005. The 46-year-old from St. Thomas, Ontario, also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers before retiring, spending 14 seasons in California.
He topped the NHL in scoring and won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in the 2005-06 season. As only the third player to lead the league in assists for three consecutive seasons, Thornton led San Jose in scoring eight times, including five straight seasons, and helped the Sharks reach the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.
Thornton, who won Olympic gold in 2010, accumulated 1,539 points in 1,714 regular-season games, placing him 12th all-time in scoring, seventh in assists, and sixth in games played. He also added 134 points in 187 playoff games.
WATCH | ‘Playing so many games, meeting so many guys’ the highlight for Thornton:
Mogilny collected 1,032 points
Mogilny, who is not participating in the Hall of Fame festivities, defected to the United States in 1988 and achieved career highs with 76 goals and 127 points for the Buffalo Sabres in the 1991-92 season – the most ever recorded by a Soviet/Russian player.
The 56-year-old captured the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, concluding his career with 1,032 points in 990 regular-season games. He tallied 86 points in 124 playoff games.
Botterill represented Canada at four Olympic Games, securing three gold medals and one silver. She was a part of five first-place finishes and three second-place finishes at the World Championships, earning MVP honors in 2001.
“I am so fortunate to have been surrounded by amazing people throughout my playing career,” said the 46-year-old Winnipeg native, who is now involved in television broadcasting. “This has been an opportunity to reflect with them.”
Sauvageau has been involved in six Olympic Games, either as a coach or in a management role for Canada, with leading the country to a gold medal in 2002 as a career highlight. Sauvageau’s extensive resume includes her current role as the general manager of Montreal’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team, the Victoire.
“I don’t think I’ve fully processed it yet,” admitted the 63-year-old Montreal pioneer, who is the Hall of Fame’s first female builder. “When I put on the ring, it’s a bit too large, and my initial thought is: there’s still so much work to be done because (the game) needs further development.”
Decker won a gold medal at the 2018 Olympic Games with the United States, adding two silver medals to her collection. The 34-year-old forward from Dousman, Wisconsin, has also earned six gold medals at the World Championships, along with two second-place finishes.
Parker served as the head coach of Boston University’s men’s hockey program from 1973 to 2013. A three-time national champion, the 80-year-old from Somerville, Massachusetts, was also recognized as the NCAA coach of the year three times.
“It’s challenging to truly encapsulate it in just a few words,” Chara responded when asked to reflect on his own career. “You navigate paths that aren’t always smooth or enjoyable, but you must persevere, maintain faith, and hold onto hope and dreams.
“And continually pursue them.”
