The Boston Bruins will honor Willie O'Ree by retiring his number 22 jersey on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 prior to the team's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Willie E. O'Ree will be the 12th player to have his sweater honored by the Boston Bruins in franchise history, joining Lionel Hitchman (#3, 1934), Aubrey V. Clapper (#5, 1947), Edward W. Shore (#2, 1949), Milton C. Schmidt (#15, 1957), Robert G. Orr (#4, 1979), John P. Bucyk (#9, 1980), Philip A. Esposito (#7, 1987), Raymond J. Bourque (#77, 2001), Terence J. O'Reilly (#24, 2002), Cameron M. Neely (#8, 2004) and Richard D. Middleton (#16, 2018).
Willie O'Ree News:
Willie O'Ree's #22 jersey retirement ceremony will take place at TD Garden on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 prior to the team's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Fans attending the Bruins-Hurricanes game should plan on being in their seats prior to the start of the ceremony at 7:00 p.m.
Commemorative Poster Giveaway: Courtesy of TD Bank, a commemorative Willie O'Ree poster will be handed out to the first 10,000 fans that enter through the gates of TD Garden ahead of the ceremony.
The Boston Bruins Kids Club presented by Tufts Children's Hospital is hosting a special photo contest for club members in honor of Willie O'Ree's #22 jersey retirement night. Two (2) lucky winners will each win a pair of tickets (two tickets per winner) to attend the ceremony on January 18, including the Bruins-Hurricanes game that follows the ceremony. The contest runs through January 12.
Willie O'Ree made history with the Boston Bruins by breaking the NHL's color barrier and becoming the league's first black player in 1958. Since then, Willie has continued to make a lasting impact on the sport as well as the community with his efforts to promote inclusion and diversity in youth and community programs and ensuring that "Hockey is for Everyone". Willie has been a trailblazer and continues to strive to make hockey more welcoming for all players. His continued efforts and resilience have changed the sport of hockey as he shares his positive and inspirational messages, including "if you think you can, you can and if you think you can't, you're right". Willie has been an inspiration to all and the Bruins are proud to honor his legacy with his jersey retirement.
Willie has made a lasting impact and continues to push forward in his efforts to change the game of hockey. To enter the contest, Kids Club members must submit a photo of themself and their hero or someone who inspires them along with a brief explanation about why that person is their hero/inspiration. The contest runs through January 12.
Show your support and commemorate Willie O'Ree's legacy as his #22 jersey is raised to the rafters with limited-edition, exclusive #22 merchandise from the ProShop powered by '47. Net proceeds from Willie O'Ree merchandise purchased during the month of January will benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation and SCORE Boston. Visit the ProShop to browse the whole line, including banner t-shirts, replica banners, pins, hats and more.
Hours:
Proceeds from the 50/50 presented by DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports from January 16 to January 18 will support SCORE Boston, an organization that provides youth players with the opportunity to participate in the sport of ice hockey and the inspiration to see their future differently by using ice hockey as a platform to highlight the importance of education, teach life lessons and foster an environment of tolerance and respect for one another.
The Boston Bruins will be wearing special jerseys during warm ups on January 18 in honor of Willie O'Ree's #22 jersey being raised to the rafters. The signed warm up jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds supporting the Boston Bruins Foundation. The auction will begin at 7 pm on January 18 and will run through January 25.
The Black Hockey History Tour was launched in 2019 to highlight the contributions of black players (male and female) throughout the history of our game. This uniquely curated mobile museum will visit 28 NHL cities across North America to celebrate today's black stars, while also looking back at the pioneers and trailblazers who helped shape NHL History. The museum will be visiting the Boston area on Tuesday, January 18.
