The Boston Bruins will honor one of their iconic franchise players when they officially retire #33 of their former captain Zdeno Chara on January 15th, 2026 ahead of their game against the Seattle Kraken.
Chara, who recently joined the Bruins organization as a hockey operations adviser and mentor, will become the 13th player in franchise history to have his number raised to the rafters and the first since Willie O’Ree in 2022.
“There will never be another Zdeno Chara,” Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said in an official team statement. “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.”
“This honor is greater than anything I could have imagined when I first came to Boston,” said Chara, who joined in 2006 and turned out to be arguably the most impactful unrestricted free agent signing in league history. “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.”
Chara, who was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in June and set to be inducted this November, Chara captained the Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 2011 during his 14-year tenure with the organization.
“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, who had his No. 8 retired by the Bruins in 2004. “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.”
