Bruins to Retire Franchise Legend’s Number

The Big Z

Chara’s size and stature were always the first features that stuck out. The 6’9” Slovakian defenseman was an imposing and tough competitor, who found an incredibly ability to marry that size with high-level offensive creativity and hockey IQ. Over his 14 seasons with Boston, he appeared in 1,023 games. In those contests, he recorded 148 goals and 333 assists for 481 points. Those figures stand as the third-most goals, assists and points in franchise history. His 1,023 games are the eighth-most played with the franchise. Over his entire career, he played in 1.680 games and collected 209 goals and 471 assists for 680 points.

Chara is also the first European player to have his jersey retired in Boston. He will be the 13th player in franchise history to have his number raised to the rafters, but in his statement on the honor, he made it clear that this is a result of the community of Boston embracing and supporting him during his playing days.

”It is truly beyond words to see my jersey, number 33, raised to the rafters at TD Garden,” he said. “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.”

Since retiring, the accolades have continued to accumulate for Chara. This year, he was elected to both the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He also recently began a new role with the Bruins organization, now serving as a mentor and hockey operations advisor.