The Boston Bruins have announced that they are officially retiring Zdeno Chara's No. 33.
Chara's No. 33 will be hung in the TD Garden rafters ahead of the Bruins' matchup against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15, 2026.
Chara is set to become 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.
Seeing the Bruins retiring Chara's number is not surprising in the slightest, as he had an absolutely fantastic run with the Original Six club. 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 captained the Bruins to their Stanley Cup championship in 2011 and won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2009. He also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2011 during his time with the Black and Gold.
Given all that Chara did during his time with the Bruins, there is no question that his No. 33 deserves to be retired. The Hockey Hall of Famer had a spectacular tenure with the Bruins, and now he is being rewarded for it.