3 things Boston Bruins legend Zdeno Chara can help correct after joining the franchise as consultant amid disappointing season

The Boston Bruins have battled issues with consistency all throughout the 2024-25 NHL season that resulted in them firing head coach Jim Montgomery and naming assistant Joe Sacco their interim head coach. Right now, a trip back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs are anything but assured.

Needless to say, the Bruins are hardly resembling the powerhouse that re-wrote the NHL record books during the 2022-23 season by winning 65 regular season games. Of course, the less we say about how that season ultimately ended up, the better.

The Bruins are hoping that the return of former captain Zdeno Chara, who captained Boston to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship along with two more appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, as a consultant can help them turn things around.

“The Boston Bruins are excited to be exploring the opportunity to welcome Zdeno Chara in an advisory role that supports our players and coaches,” general manager Don Sweeney said in the statement. “We have had an open invitation and ongoing dialogue with Zdeno to return in some capacity whenever he felt it was right for both he and his family. Zdeno recently indicated he has interest to help and be involved. While his schedule and role are still unfolding, we believe he can make a positive impact on the organization as a mentor to our players and advisor to our coaching staff.”

What is it that Chara can help the organization with now that he's officially back in the fold?

3 things Boston Bruins legend Zdeno Chara can help correct after joining the franchise as consultant amid disappointing season

#1. Identifying the right kind of talent for the Bruins to take in the NHL Draft

The Bruins have been called out in recent years over their subpar drafting under GM Don Sweeney and team president Cam Neely.

A player who had been in the NHL for as long as Chara has can help to idenify the correct kind of talent that the Bruins need for their roster moving forward. The fact that he'll be a new voice in terms of team consultation is a positive as well.

#2. Proper defensive play

Not only did the Bruins lose in the opening round of the 2023 postseason to the Panthers thanks to their porous defensive play, but they also have struggled keeping the puck out of their own net this season.

A longtime defenseman with several accolades to his name, Chara brought a ruggedness and defensive responsibility to the Bruins during his years on the ice with them and can play a role in how the defensive structure looks.

#3. Team cohesiveness

The Bruins have had to fight off rumors that there was a rift between team captain Brad Marchand and sniper David Pastrnak, a charge that both players strongly denied.

Having played in the NHL for over two decades and served as team captain in Boston for over a decade, Chara knows better than most what it takes to keep a locker room intact and how to manage issues that may arise between players.