Chara sees McAvoy, Pastrnak 'making the progress' as leaders

As part of his role as Hockey Operations Advisor and Mentor for the Bruins, former Boston captain Zdeno Chara works with the Bruins' current leadership group – more as a sounding board outside of the traditional coach-player structure.

He's been a useful resource as the Bruins usher in a new wave of leadership, a wave that doesn't yet feature anyone wearing the 'C.' Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak are the two alternate captains serving as de facto co-captains, but Hampus Lindholm (who also wears an 'A'), Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Pavel Zacha, Sean Kuraly and Tanner Jeannot – among others – have roles to play as well.

On the ice, Pastrnak and McAvoy are certainly stepping up this season as the Bruins close in on a return to the playoffs. Pastrnak needs one more point to reach 100 for a fourth straight season, a feat accomplished only by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito in Bruins history. His 70 assists are a career high, and his 56 primary assists lead the NHL.

McAvoy, meanwhile, already has a career-high 60 points, despite missing 12 games earlier this season with a broken jaw. He's producing at a career-best 0.90 points per game.

Chara sees both players stepping up as leaders, too.

"Obviously, they are different personalities a little bit, different players a little bit, but they're finding ways to be very effective in the way they lead," Chara told WEEI this past Saturday. "I think it's great to see how they're making the progress, how they're growing as a man, as players. They really are leading the way to get that team to the next stage, which is obviously going to the playoffs and pushing for the best results possible."

The Bruins could clinch a playoff spot Saturday afternoon with a win of any kind against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They had a chance to clinch Thursday night while relaxing at home, but didn't get the necessary help from other teams. The Bruins have a 99% chance of making the playoffs, according to HockeyStats, and Chara sees a team that has earned the right to keep playing.

"I think it's a very resilient, very improving team, a team that plays together," he said. "It's a tight group. I think that they deserve every bit to be in the playoffs for what they've shown this season, how hard they battle, how they came back in games that were basically, pretty much lost in the first half of the game, and they still found a way to come back and win them. So yeah, I think that it's a group that never gives up."

Chara spoke to WEEI at Banners Kitchen & Tap as part of the launch party for Samuel Adams' "Our City, Our Beer" series. Chara's "Big Z Pilsner" was one of four new beers, along with Julian Edelman's "Julian Edel-Brau Lager," Derrick White's "(Derrick) White Ale" and Garrett Crochet's "Crochet's Pale Ale."

"I got approached," Chara said, "if I'd be willing to be part of the project of Sam Adams 'Our City, Our Beer,' and after thinking about it, what it means and what it represents, I was happy to agree. Especially being part of such a unique group of people, athletes, and the team of Sam Adams brewery, it all made sense. So I'm happy to be one of those members doing it."

Chara, who will be running the Boston Marathon for a third time on April 20, said he's a big fan of his beer. While he wasn't directly involved in the brewing process, he knew he liked the style, as pilsners are a mainstay in Central Europe, where Chara grew up.

"Especially coming from Czech Republic and Slovakia, I knew the taste very well," Chara said. "So, as soon as they say it was like a pilsner type of brand, I was totally OK with it. I didn't have to really do anything about it, because I know the taste and it's very good."