Former Slovak hockey player Zdeno Chára will see a huge honor from Boston Bruins next year on January 15. The overseas NHL club, in which he spent 14 seasons during his gaming career, and today works as an advisor and mentor for hockey operations, will definitely eliminate its number 33 and post the jersey of the Slovak defender under the roof of the TD Garden stadium.
Chára learned about the planning number last week from the mouth of the President of the Cam Neely club. He introduced a 48-year-old Slovak to the premises of the home booth Bruins, with everything being captured by club cameras. “The reason we are here is that your number 24 and 77 will be your number 33 this season,” He said in the video Neely. Chara remained surprised as he did not expect this information.
“For my God. Thank you very much, it’s an incredible honor. I don’t even know what to say, you got me. I am shocked, surprised and grateful,” reacted immediately moved Chára, whose jersey will hang between the names of Ray Bourque and Terry O’Reilly. So far, Boston has eliminated 12 numbers in its history that no players can dress in Bruins.
Chára spent 14 seasons in Boston in 2006-2020, and held the position of a captain throughout the team. In 2011, Bruins led the Stanley Cup to win. He played more than 1,000 matches for Boston, with a total of up to 1680 in the regular season during a 24-year NHL career, a historical record among the defenders. In 2009 he won the prestigious Norris trophy for the best defender of the season, and in two years Mark Messier Leadership Award for the best leader of the competition was added to his collection. He played six times in the NHL star. He ended his profilig’s career in 2022 as New York Islanders.
Before the upcoming NHL season he went on a functionary career. In his new role, he will work closely with the players and the Bruins implementation team to advise organizations in key areas. Its main tasks will be to build relationships and strengthen communication between players and coaches, participation in trainings and home matches and providing support for the development of defenders outside the ice. It will also help the team who is in charge of the development of the team and will be in regular contact with the youngsters at the AHL Farm.
Chára has been introduced to the Hall of Fame of Slovak Hockey, which took place in August during the awards in the Poll of the Hockey Power of the Year. In May 2025, it was adopted to an exceptional company by the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) and in the fall of this year it will complete the “imaginary hetrik” by entering the Hall of Fame in Toronto (HHOF).
“It is a truly indescribable feeling to see my jersey with number 33 posted under the TD Garden ceiling. This honor is greater than I could imagine when I came to Boston. I am forever grateful to the Bruins organization for the trust they have shown to me. All my former teammates and contemporary colleagues, fans whose passion and energy in Boston have created me a feeling of home. Last but not least, my family, who allowed me everything. This moment is not just mine – we are all belonging to us, ”said Chara for the club website Bruins.
Chara will be ceremonially posted on January 15 before Boston’s match against Seattle Kraken. Last time, the same ceremony took place in TD Garden in 2022, when the number 22, which wore Willie O’Ree, was honored. In front of him, the organization also eliminated numbers 16 (Rick Middleton), 8 (Cam Nely), 24 (Terry O’Reilly), 77 (Ray Bourque), 7 (Phil Esposito), 9 (Johnny Bucyk), 4 (Bobby Orr), 15 (Milt Schmidt), 2 (Eddie Shore), 5 (Aubrey Clapper) Hitchman).
“No one can better embody what it means to be a Boston Bruins player than Zdeno Chára. He brought a special style of leadership to Boston when he motivated his teammates every day. said Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs.
The jersey festive was last experienced from the Slovaks in 2022 a former attacker Marián Hossa, whose career in the number 81 jersey was honored by Chicago Blackhawks. The jersey of the Slovak native is also hanging under the roof of the “hawk” stadium Stan Mikita with number 21.
