The Boston Bruins retired Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 at TD Garden prior to their game against the Seattle Kraken. The ceremony honored the franchise’s longtime captain and 2011 Stanley Cup winner.
Congratulations, Zdeno Chara pic.twitter.com/NJxzveG49Q
— NHL (@NHL) January 16, 2026
“Since day one, I knew we had the best fans. Not to disrespect any other cities around the world, but in my mind, there is no other place like TD Garden when it gets loud.”
Chara becomes the 13th member of the organization to have his jersey retired. He captained the Bruins for all 14 seasons in Boston from 2006 to 2020.
The 6-foot-9 defenseman led Boston to three Stanley Cup Finals appearances. The Bruins won the championship in 2011 and reached the finals again in 2013 and 2019.
Chara captured the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2009. He ranks third in franchise history among defensemen in both games played (1,023) and points (481).
The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Chara in November during his first year of eligibility.
Several Bruins legends attended the ceremony. Hall of Fame defensemen Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque joined Chara on the ice for the festivities.
Welcoming our ceremony participants to the ice…
And honoring those that cannot be with us tonight #BigZ33 pic.twitter.com/XyemyGgyqe
— NESN (@NESN) January 15, 2026
The Slovakia native spent 24 seasons in the NHL with the Islanders, Senators, Bruins and Capitals. He retired following the 2021-22 season at age 45.
