By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
First-ballot Hall of Famer. 2011 Stanley Cup Champion. Norris Trophy winner. Zdeno Chara has accomplished a lot in his 24-year National Hockey League playing career, and now he’s receiving the biggest honor one can receive from a franchise. On January 15th, 2026, Chara will have his #33 retired by the Boston Bruins, before they take on the Seattle Kraken.
The Trencin, Slovakia, native will be the 13th player in franchise history to receive such an honor, joining Bobby Orr, Eddie Shore, Lionel Hitchman, Dit Clapper, Phil Esposito, Cam Neely, John Bucyk, Milt Schmidt, Rick Middleton, Willie O’Ree, Terry O’Reilly, and Ray Bourque in the rafters of TD Garden.
Chara’s importance to this franchise cannot be overstated. When he signed as a Free Agent in the summer of 2006, the team was in the midst of a 34-year Stanley Cup drought. While his first season in Boston was a struggle for the team, he led a turnaround from the basement of the league to Stanley Cup Champions in just five seasons. His leadership created a team culture that is still talked about to this day, six seasons after he played his last game with the B’s. As the Bruins embark on a new era with a new set of uniforms and eventually a new captain, it seems fitting for them to honor one of the people who made the last era so great.
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