On Nov. 19, 1997, barely a month before his current Bruins defensive partner was born, Zdeno Chara made his NHL debut. That night, inside Joe Louis Arena, the 20-year-old Chara helped a mediocre New York Islanders team pull off a satisfying regular season upset of the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings — coached by the legendary Scotty Bowman and led by five future Hall of Famers — were a formidable first opponent for Chara, who performed admirably. Of course, the initial reaction from fans and media focused on Chara’s most obvious attribute: He set the record for being the tallest player in NHL history.