Big Z isn't going anywhere yet. Over the weekend Zdeno Chara signed a one-year deal with the team that drafted him back in 1996, the New York Islanders. It's likely a full-circle situation for the future Hall of Fame defenseman, who spent his first four pro seasons on Long Island and seems set to retire following this season (maybe?).
It means that as the 2021-22 preseason begins later this week, Chara will take the ice as the oldest player in the league. With some high-profile retirements (Henrik Lundqvist) or likely retirements (no one has signed Patrick Marleau as of Sept. 21), Chara headlines a different looking list of the oldest active players in the NHL. (NOTE: ages listed are as of the start of the regular season on October 12.)
1) Zdeno Chara (44 years, 208 days): The seven-time All-Star was in Washington last season, playing in 55 games and averaging over 18 minutes of ice time per game. Obviously he's no longer the work-horse he was over his 14 seasons in Boston, where he won his lone Stanley Cup and his Norris Trophy, but he'll rack up minutes for one of the better defensive units in the league in the Isles. It will be his first game with the organization since 2001, after which he was infamously traded to the Senators with a first-round pick (Jason Spezza) and Bill Muckalt for Alexei Yashin. For context, there's only one other active player who was around the last time he was an Islander.
2) Joe Thornton (42 years, 102 days): Everyone's joked that old people retire to Florida, so perhaps the center is getting a head start by signing a one-year deal with the Panthers. A veteran locker room presence at this point, Thornton has failed to hit the 50-point mark in three of the past four seasons, and last year in Toronto only played 13 minutes a game. Currently sixth all-time in career games played, he can jump up to fourth if he plays in at least 54 games. If he were to stick around through 2022-23, he could catch Gordie Howe for second place.
3) Mike Smith (39 years, 204 days): A kid compared to Chara and Thornton, Smith will be around for at least a few more years after he signed a two-year deal to remain with the Oilers this summer. Though he split time with Mikko Koskinen in net last season he had a much better year, going 21-6-2 with a 2.31 goals against (league average) and .923 save percentage (seventh-best).
4) Andy Greene (38 years, 347 days): The Islanders do like their experienced d-men. In addition to Chara, New York will feature Greene on the blue-line after trading for him in 2019-20. He'll also become the 41st active player to appear in 1,000 career games, as he enters the season with 988 regular season games played.
5) Jason Spezza (38 years, 121 days): Another person with Islanders ties - the draft pick New York dealt to Ottawa in the Chara trade became Spezza - the center is in the mix among the Maple Leafs centers. His 30 points in 54 games last year was his best season since 2016-17 in Dallas, and he's indicated that he's either playing in Toronto, where he was born, or he's retiring.