Zdeno Chara was joined by former NY Islanders players in his final game in Slovakia

Whether it be his size or his presence, few players who could ever compare to Zdeno Chara. The tallest player ever to play in an NHL game, the 3rd-round pick by the NY Islanders in 1996, Big Z, played 231 games for the Islanders before being traded to the Ottawa Senators in one of the more lopsided trades in NHL history.

After 19 seasons away from the organization, three Stanley Cup Finals appearances and one Stanley Cup victory, Chara returned to the team that drafted him, signing with the Islanders in his final season, even scoring his final goal on the final touch in his illustrious career.

Zees final shift

Today, Chara was honored in his hometown of Trencin, Slovakia, as he was joined by some of his teammates over the years, with Team Boston taking on Team World. Notable Islanders alumni to play were Ziggy Palffy, Miroslav Satan, Johnny Boychuk, Dennis Seidenberg, Jaroslav Halak, and Thomas Vanek.

"It's an incredible emotion and experience," Chara said after the tribute game, according to denniksport.sk (translated from Slovakian). "I'm so glad I was able to spend such an evening with my former teammates, friends, and sons. It was unforgettable."

At the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, Chara set the record in the hardest shot competition. Today, Big Z took one last attempt at the hardest shot, with the scoreboard reading 108.8 - matching his record set 14 years ago, although that may have been just for the entertainment factor.

As the game ended, smoke from the ice made it look like a scene from a movie, as Chara unlaced his skates and laid them at center ice, similar to a fighter laying down their gloves in the ring, signifying the end of a storied career.

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