This Day in Isles History: Feb. 24

Feb. 24, 2022 - Zdeno Chara breaks the NHL record for most games played by a defenseman.
Chara suited up for his 1,652nd game when the Islanders took on San Jose Sharks at SAP Center, surpassing Chris Chelios for the record.
"I would like to start by thanking Chelios," Chara said of breaking the record. "He set such a high standard for many of us. I'm very grateful to have many great teammates, great coaches and trainers. And support from my wife and children."

Chara recorded one hit, one blocked shot in 16:26 TOI in his historic night. He even dropped the gloves, fighting Jeffrey Viel in the second period.
Chara, who the Islanders drafted in the third round of the 1996 NHL Draft (56th overall) bookended his NHL career with the Islanders and made history in the final season of his career.
"He's a proven winner," Captain Anders Lee said of Chara. "He's someone we all turn to, look up to and admire the way he has gone about his entire career."
After his record-breaking night, Chara went on to play 28 more games to add to his 1,680 career total games played, before retiring after the 2021-22 season. He played 303 games with the Islanders, 1,023 with the Boston Bruins, 299 with the Ottawa Senators and 55 with the Washington Capitals.

Noah Dobson played on the same pairing with Chara in his milestone game and appreciated the chance to skate with one of his most prevalent mentors, both vs San Jose and for a majority of the 2021-22 season.
"It was a pretty cool to be a part of," Dobson said of Chara's milestone game. "To play over 1,600 games, it's quite the accomplishment. I was fortunate enough to be his D-pair in that game... I'll remember it forever."