The Boston Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s number 33 when they play the Seattle Kraken on January 15, 2026.
The franchise announced the news on Monday morning, calling it “the club’s highest honor.”
“It is truly beyond words to see my jersey, number 33, raised to the rafters at TD Garden,” Zdeno Chara said in a statement. “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.”
The Bruins surprised Chara after Bruins president Cam Neely requested him to attend a meeting at TD Garden and take a promotional photo in the arena.
“Actually, Zee, I’m full of crap,” Neely said. “The reason we’re here…”
He then pointed to the rafters.
“See the space between 24 and 77? Those retired number banners? That’s where 33 is going to go this year.”
“Oh my god,” Chara said, flashing a huge smile and clapping his hands. “Wow, what an honor.”
Chara’s number 33 will be the 13th number retired by the Bruins organization and the first since Willie O’Ree’s no. 22 was raised to the rafters in January 2022.
Bruins retired numbers
- #2 – Eddie Shore, 1947
- #3 – Lionel Hitchman, 1934
- #4 – Bobby Orr, 1979
- #5 – Aubrey “Dit” Clapper, 1947
- #7 – Phil Esposito, 1987
- #8 – Cam Neely, 2004
- #9 – Johnny Bucyk, 1980
- #15 – Milt Schmidt, 1956
- #16 – Rick Middleton, 2018
- #22 – Willie O’ Ree, 2022
- #24 – Terry O’Reilly, 2002
- #33 – Zdeno Chara, 2026
- #77 – Ray Bourque, 2001
Chara played 14 seasons for the Boston Bruins, from 2006 to 2020, and served as the captain his entire tenure. The 6-foot-9 defenseman appeared in 1,023 career games with Boston, recording 481 points. Among Bruins defensemen in team history, Chara registered the third most goals (148), assists (333), points (481), power-play goals (69), shorthanded points (19), and ice time per game (24:29).
He led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and two other Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2013 and 2019, helping the Bruins make the postseason a total of 11 times. Per the Bruins, Chara’s 14 Game 7 appearances tie 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,” Neely said. “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. As someone who has experienced what it means to have your number hanging in the rafters, I can say without a doubt that Zdeno’s No. 33 belongs there. It will serve as a permanent reminder of his place as one of the greatest Bruins of all time.”
“The rafters are a fitting home for 33, because there will never be another Zdeno Chara,” added 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.”
Individually, Chara was awarded the Norris Trophy in 2009 as the league’s top defenseman and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2011 for his leadership. Chara was named to the NHL First All-Star Team three times (2014, 2009, 2004) and was a six-time participant in the NHL All-Star Game (2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2003).
During his 24 seasons in the NHL, Chara played in 1,680 games — the most all-time as a defenseman — as a member of the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals, recording 680 points (209g, 471a). Chara was inducted into the IIHF’s Hall of Fame in 2025 and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
Since retiring in September 2022, Chara has continued to thrive as an athlete, turning to marathon running and Ironman competitions.
The Bruins hired Chara as a hockey operations advisor and mentor in late September.
