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Bruins announce they will retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33
"This moment is not just mine – it belongs to all of us.”
Time to make room in the rafters for Big Z.
The Bruins announced Monday morning that they will be retiring Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 this season. A ceremony will be held prior to the Jan. 15 game against the Seattle Kraken.
“It is truly beyond words to see my jersey, number 33, raised to the rafters at TD Garden,” said Chara in a statement released by the Bruins. “This honor is greater than anything I could have imagined when I first came to Boston. I am forever grateful to the Bruins organization for trusting me to lead, to all my teammates past and present, to the fans whose passion and energy made Boston feel like home, and to my family who made everything possible. This moment is not just mine – it belongs to all of us.”
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The 6-foot-9 defenseman signed with the Bruins in July 2006 and served as team captain for the entirety of his 14-year stint, making him the second-longest tenured captain in club history behind Ray Bourque. He appeared in 1,023 career games with Boston, totaling 148 goals and 333 assists for 481 points. He ranks eighth in franchise history in games played and third in goals, assists, points, power play goals (69), shorthanded points (19), and average ice time per game (24:29) by a defenseman.
“The rafters are a fitting home for 33, because there will never be another Zdeno Chara,” said Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. “From his skill, size, and physical dominance on the ice, to his leadership in the locker room and impact on the Boston community, Zee is a legend of the game and the ultimate Bruin.”
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Chara won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, the organization’s first since 1972. He appeared in two additional Stanley Cup Final series with the Bruins (2013, 2019) and finished his career with 18 goals and 52 assists for 70 points in 200 playoff games. He led the Bruins to the postseason 11 times, and his 14 Game 7 appearances are tied with Patrice Bergeron for the most by an NHL player.
“From the moment he arrived in Boston in 2006, Zdeno Chara brought with him an unmatched presence, combining size, strength, and skill with a leadership style that elevated everyone around him,” said Bruins president Cam Neely. “Zdeno set the standard with his professionalism, his legendary work ethic, and his fierce competitiveness, and he did it all while representing our organization with the utmost class.”
Chara retired in September 2022, signing a one-day contract with the Bruins. The Trencin, Slovakia native was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the third round (56th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
He played in 1,680 games across 24 seasons with the Islanders, Washington, Boston, and Ottawa, totaling 209 goals and 471 assists for 680 points with a plus-301 rating. He holds the NHL record for most games played by a defenseman and ranks seventh among all skaters in games played.
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It will mark the 13th number retired by the organization and the first to be raised to the rafters since Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 was retired in January 2022. Other retired numbers by the Bruins are 16 (Rick Middleton, 2018), 8 (Cam Neely, 2004), 24 (Terry O’Reilly, 2002), 77 (Ray Bourque, 2001), 7 (Phil Esposito, 1987), 9 (Johnny Bucyk, 1980), 4 (Bobby Orr, 1979), 15 (Milt Schmidt, 1956), 2 (Eddie Shore, 1947), 5 (Aubrey “Dit” Clapper, 1947) and 3 (Lionel Hitchman, 1934).
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