BOSTON -- A day circled on every calendar since the day it was announced, the Boston Bruins officially raised Zdeno Chara's #33 to the rafters of TD Garden.
"I am speechless," Chara said after the ceremony concluded. "Literally, I am speechless. It is one of those things that no matter how many times you picture it or imagine it, when it’s actually happening, it’s so much better and so much nicer."
The night couldn't be more special, with all living Bruins' alumni with their numbers retired attending (except Phil Esposito), while a large swath of the 2011 Stanley Cup winning team attended.
Chara's number was not raised by Chara himself, but rather his three kids. Chara wouldn't have wanted it any other way, stating he gets more joy watching his children raise his number than anything else.
Chara became the 13th player in franchise history to have his number retired by the Bruins. The most recent player to have his number retired by the Bruins was Willie O'Ree, as his No. 22 was raised to the rafters back in Jan. 2022.
The night couldn't be more special, with all living Bruins' alumni with their numbers retired attending (except Phil Esposito), while a large swath of the 2011 Stanley Cup winning team attended.
Andrew Ference emceed the event, killing it with his speech honoring Chara. Perhaps Ference's greatest remark came when he described what he saw as Chara's true greatness:
"Zee's true greatness," Ference said, "is the collective and consistent positive energy and impact that he brought to his teammates, to his organization and to his community over his career."
In 14 seasons as their captain from 2006-07 to 2019-20, the 6-foot-9 defenseman recorded 148 goals, 333 assists, 481 points, 1,055 penalty minutes, 1,809 hits, and a plus-240 rating.
Chara also led the Bruins to their Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2009.
Ference joked in Vancouver late at night, you can still hear Chara's roar reverberating from his lift of that Stanley Cup nearly 15 years ago.
With Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr amongst the gathered Bruins legends, the latest generational Boston defenseman entered the rafters of TD Garden.