Bruins announce they will retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33

Time to make room within the rafters for Massive Z.

The Bruins announced Monday morning that they are going to be retiring Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 this season. A ceremony shall be held previous to the Jan. 15 sport in opposition to the Seattle Kraken.

“It’s actually past phrases to see my jersey, quantity 33, raised to the rafters at TD Backyard,” stated Chara in a press release launched by the Bruins. “This honor is larger than something I may have imagined after I first got here to Boston. I’m endlessly grateful to the Bruins group for trusting me to guide, to all my teammates previous and current, to the followers whose ardour and power made Boston really feel like house, and to my household who made every thing potential. This second is not only mine – it belongs to all of us.”

The 6-foot-9 defenseman signed with the Bruins in July 2006 and served as staff captain for the whole thing of his 14-year stint, making him the second-longest tenured captain in membership historical past behind Ray Bourque. He appeared in 1,023 profession video games with Boston, totaling 148 objectives and 333 assists for 481 factors. He ranks eighth in franchise historical past in video games performed and third in objectives, assists, factors, energy play objectives (69), shorthanded factors (19), and common ice time per sport (24:29) by a defenseman.

“The rafters are a becoming house for 33, as a result of there’ll by no means be one other Zdeno Chara,” stated Bruins proprietor Jeremy Jacobs. “From his ability, measurement, and bodily dominance on the ice, to his management within the locker room and affect on the Boston neighborhood, Zee is a legend of the sport and the last word Bruin.”

Chara gained the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, the group’s first since 1972. He appeared in two extra Stanley Cup Ultimate collection with the Bruins (2013, 2019) and completed his profession with 18 objectives and 52 assists for 70 factors in 200 playoff video games. He led the Bruins to the postseason 11 instances, and his 14 Recreation 7 appearances are tied with Patrice Bergeron for essentially the most by an NHL participant.

“From the second he arrived in Boston in 2006, Zdeno Chara introduced with him an unmatched presence, combining measurement, power, and ability with a management fashion that elevated everybody round him,” stated Bruins president Cam Neely. “Zdeno set the usual together with his professionalism, his legendary work ethic, and his fierce competitiveness, and he did all of it whereas representing our group with the utmost class.”

Chara retired in September 2022, signing a one-day contract with the Bruins. The Trencin, Slovakia native was initially chosen by the New York Islanders within the third spherical (56th general) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

He performed in 1,680 video games throughout 24 seasons with the Islanders, Washington, Boston, and Ottawa, totaling 209 objectives and 471 assists for 680 factors with a plus-301 ranking. He holds the NHL report for many video games performed by a defenseman and ranks seventh amongst all skaters in video games performed.

It’s going to mark the thirteenth quantity retired by the group and the primary to be raised to the rafters since Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 was retired in January 2022. Different 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 three (Lionel Hitchman, 1934).