Chara Needs To Stop Being Pampered By The Fans and Management

It appears as though the Bruins won't be getting any raving reviews from me for the rest of the season based on their recent play. Many times, when a team is playing well, the captain of the team gets the credit for leading vocally and by example. Being a captain and having the "C" stitched on your hockey sweater represents an abundant amount of responsibility. Has Zdeno Chara fulfilled this responsibility this season? I don't think he has. Where are the bone crushing hits? Where is the "hardest slapshot in the league"?

Patrice Bergeron has been the leader of the team in every way imaginable. While Chara is the reigning Norris Trophy winner, he has not been playing like it this year. The Bruins team defense remains among the top in the league, but anybody who watches the games will tell you that it is not like last year. Chara is not playing at an All-Star level, let alone a Norris Trophy level on offense or defense.

Is it too much to ask for a player that stands 7 feet on skates to intimidate, use his size and hit? Apparently it is too much to ask out of Chara this year. He has just 4 goals and a +/- of about 5. While this is certainly not horrible, is his play on the ice reflecting his $7.5 million salary? Absolutely not. He has a shooting percentage of 2.7%, by far his lowest since his stint with the New York Islanders in 2001. In comparison, last season his shooting percentage was 8.8% and he scored 19 goals. With a 100+ MPH slapshot, why is he taking wrist shots from the point? His offense has been pathetic on even strength and on the power play.

He is great on the penalty kill because he has good stickwork, but it appears that he gets lazy at times on the defensive end. Is this the type of defense that we should expect to see out of a Norris Trophy winner? It makes you wonder where his heart is at, how much heart he actually has and if he's just comfortable with winning one round in the playoffs as opposed to winning a Stanley Cup.

Zdeno Chara needs to start playing like the captain of this team. A lot of fans believe that he is an untouchable on the team, but what makes him so untouchable? Players have been stripped of their captaincy before and he should not be an exception. Patrice Bergeron has been playing like the captain on the team and he is the type of player that will dive on the ice to save a loose buck, the type that can make a big play when his team needs it and somebody who will always represent the black and gold the way it should be. Chara needs to be put on the hot seat, and stop being pampered by fans who think just because of his size and stature that he is the best defenseman in the league by default.