Islanders' Zdeno Chara breaks NHL record for games by defenseman

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Zdeno Chara broke the NHL record for games by a defenseman Thursday night.

The seven-time All-Star was on the ice for the New York Islanders for the opening faceoff against San Jose for his 1,652nd regular-season game. He broke the mark set by Hall of Famer Chris Chelios.

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"I would like to start by thanking Chris Chelios," Chara said after New York’s 4-3 shootout loss. "He set such a high standard for many of us. It’s been very inspiring and a huge motivation. I want to thank him for that. … I’m very lucky that I get to still play this game."

New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara waves to the crowd as he is acknowledged for breaking Chris Chelios' league record for games played by a defenseman, during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against San Jose Sharks in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.  (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)

Chara received a standing ovation from the SAP Center crowd and waved in acknowledgement when his feat was announced during a stoppage of play. The Sharks also played a videotaped message of congratulations from former San Jose forward Patrick Marleau, who holds the NHL record for games by any player.

The Slovak star, the tallest player in NHL history at 6-foot-9, is in the twilight of a decorated career that began in 1997 when he was just 20. He’s now three weeks shy of his 45th birthday, and he signed a one-year deal with the Islanders before this season to reunite with the team he began his career with.

Chara even challenged the Sharks’ Jeffrey Viel to a fight in the second period as they exchanged punches and fell to the ice.

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