New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara is no longer an elite player, but the future Hall of Famer is still one of the toughest fighters in the NHL.
The San Jose Sharks got a reminder Thursday night.
Chara, 44, achieved a historic milestone against the Sharks by playing in his 1,652nd career regular season game, which broke Chris Chelios' league record.
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It was another impressive accomplishment for the former Boston Bruins captain, who is one of the best defensemen of his generation and a Stanley Cup champion.
Chara also wasn't afraid to drop the gloves and fight on his record-breaking night. He went toe-to-toe with Sharks forward Jeffrey Viel in the second period.
Check out the entertaining bout in the video below:
Chara got the best of Viel despite being 19 years older than his opponent.
The Islanders are unlikely to make the playoffs despite reaching the Eastern Conference Final in each of the last two seasons. If New York is unable to make up ground in the playoff race, it might have to consider moving Chara before the March 21 NHL trade deadline.
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Chara is still a good penalty killer, a great leader and could provide valuable defensive depth for a contending team.