Retired Boston Bruins defenseman and former captain Zdeno Chara, who returned to the franchise last year as a member of the staff, had his number retired Thursday evening. Chara’s No. 33 was hung from the rafters prior to the Bruins’ game against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15 at TD Garden. He is the first European player to have his number retired by the Bruins.”It’s surreal,” Chara said in front of a sold-out Garden crowd. “It is very special to have my number 33 go up in the rafters… wearing this jersey in front of you all has been the greatest honor.”The 48-year-old native of Slovakia recently signed on to serve as the team’s hockey operations advisor and mentor.Chara was drafted by the New York Islanders and spent four years with that team, then another four years with the Ottawa Senators before signing with Boston on July 1, 2006.Chara served as the Bruins’ team captain for his entire 14-year stint with the team, playing in 1,023 games and totaling 148 goals, 333 assists and 481 points. He won the Norris Trophy and helped bring a Stanley Cup to Boston in 2011, the team’s first in nearly 40 years.Bruins alumni Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Tim Thomas are all expected to attend Chara’s honors on Thursday. “This honor is greater than anything I could have imagined when I first came to Boston,” Chara said in a statement provided by the team in October. “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.”After Boston, he spent one season with the Washington Capitals and one with the New York Islanders before signing a one-day contract to retire from the NHL as a Bruin. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.Video below: Chara’s retirement speech”The Rafters are a fitting home for 33, because there will never be another Zdeno Chara,” said Bruins owner and governor, Jeremy Jacobs.”Over his 14 years as a captain, Zdeno helped define Boston Bruins hockey with his drive for on-ice excellence and sportsmanship, along with his off-ice commitment to serve the greater Boston community,” said Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs. Video below: Chara after the 2024 Boston MarathonAfter his retirement, Chara remained active. In 2024, he ran the Boston Marathon in 3:30:52 and then completed the London Marathon, less than one week later, in 3:11:04.The last number retired by the Bruins was Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 in 2022.

BOSTON —

Retired Boston Bruins defenseman and former captain Zdeno Chara, who returned to the franchise last year as a member of the staff, had his number retired Thursday evening.

Chara’s No. 33 was hung from the rafters prior to the Bruins’ game against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15 at TD Garden. He is the first European player to have his number retired by the Bruins.

“It’s surreal,” Chara said in front of a sold-out Garden crowd. “It is very special to have my number 33 go up in the rafters… wearing this jersey in front of you all has been the greatest honor.”

The 48-year-old native of Slovakia recently signed on to serve as the team’s hockey operations advisor and mentor.

Chara was drafted by the New York Islanders and spent four years with that team, then another four years with the Ottawa Senators before signing with Boston on July 1, 2006.

Chara served as the Bruins’ team captain for his entire 14-year stint with the team, playing in 1,023 games and totaling 148 goals, 333 assists and 481 points. He won the Norris Trophy and helped bring a Stanley Cup to Boston in 2011, the team’s first in nearly 40 years.

Bruins alumni Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Tim Thomas are all expected to attend Chara’s honors on Thursday.

“This honor is greater than anything I could have imagined when I first came to Boston,” Chara said in a statement provided by the team in October. “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.”

After Boston, he spent one season with the Washington Capitals and one with the New York Islanders before signing a one-day contract to retire from the NHL as a Bruin. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.

Video below: Chara’s retirement speech

“The Rafters are a fitting home for 33, because there will never be another Zdeno Chara,” said Bruins owner and governor, Jeremy Jacobs.

“Over his 14 years as a captain, Zdeno helped define Boston Bruins hockey with his drive for on-ice excellence and sportsmanship, along with his off-ice commitment to serve the greater Boston community,” said Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs.

Video below: Chara after the 2024 Boston Marathon

After his retirement, Chara remained active. In 2024, he ran the Boston Marathon in 3:30:52 and then completed the London Marathon, less than one week later, in 3:11:04.

The last number retired by the Bruins was Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 in 2022.