Bruins to retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 in 2026
One of the best players in the history of one of the Original Six franchises is going to be up among the greats forever.
On Monday, the Boston Bruins announced that the team will retire former captain Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 this season.
Taking its rightful place in the rafters.
On Jan. 15, 2026, Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 will become the 13th number in #NHLBruins history to be retired.
📰: https://t.co/a1vQxhQuZP pic.twitter.com/UoAayMEy0Z
The jersey retirement ceremony will take place at TD Garden on Jan. 15, right before the Bruins take on the Seattle Kraken. Chara will become the 13th player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining the likes of Bruins legends Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Ray Bourque.
“It is truly beyond words to see my jersey raised to the rafters at TD Garden,” Chara said in a release. “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.”
Chara came to Boston in the summer of 2006 after establishing himself as one of the most-feared defenders during his tenure with the Ottawa Senators. It led to a sensational 14-year span with the Bruins. He was named team captain before his first year with the team, becoming one of the best leaders the game has ever seen.
Chara’s efforts helped Boston win its first Stanley Cup in 39 years in 2011, the same year he took home the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Two years prior, the Slovakian defender won the Norris Trophy for the first and only time in his career.
Until he departed from the team in 2020, Chara played 1,023 regular-season games, eighth-most in franchise history. He’s 10th in plus/minus (+240) as a Bruin, and seventh in penalty minutes (1,055). His 150 playoff games with the B’s rank fifth all-time as well.
Thornton ended his NHL career in 2022, having appeared in 1,680 total games, the most ever by a rearguard and the seventh-most all-time. He was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025.