Chara, Teammates React to No. 33 Getting Raised to the TD Garden Rafters

BOSTON –– A bellowing “Thank you, Chara” chant echoed through TD Garden on Thursday night.

​The former captain had just addressed the crowd ahead of his No. 33 getting raised to the rafters. He spoke of signing in Boston in 2006, hoisting a Stanley Cup in 2011 and the city becoming home to him and his family.

​Zdeno Chara thanked the fans for always supporting him, and they returned the message.

“I was very close to getting very emotional,” Chara said. “I almost cracked.”

Chara, his wife, Tatiana, and their children, Elliz, Zach and Ben, soon made their way over to the banner. Chara motioned for them to start pulling the ropes. The 6-foot-9 defenseman stood and watched as his legacy was cemented into Boston Bruins history for eternity.

As was his mentality as a player, this accolade was a group achievement for Chara.

“I think that’s the biggest award for me – to see my children, my family doing it instead of me. I think I get better joy watching them do it than the joy of me doing it. It’s so much more meaningful,” Chara said. “I am speechless. Literally, I am speechless. It is one of those things that no matter how many times you picture it or imagine it, when it’s actually happening, it’s so much better and so much nicer. It’s emotional, it’s satisfaction.”

Andrew Ference, who was with the Bruins from 2006 to 2013 and skated on a pair with Chara, hosted the ceremony. He brought the laughs, but also the tears, to an arena that was more-than-ready to celebrate a player who gave his heart and soul to the Spoked-B for 14 seasons.​

“It really chokes you up. It is your buddy, and it is his big night. Get to reflect through the hosting duties and come up with some stories within a certain timeline; it’s hard to pick some of the highlights,” Ference said. “You start to have these memories of times you experienced together – going through some pretty tough moments of loss, and obviously the greatest moments of winning with, literally, your best friends.”

Ference was part of the B’s 2011 Stanley Cup squad – one that was featured throughout the event. Patrice Bergeron, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, Mark Recchi and Dennis Seidenberg carried the No. 33 banner onto the ice.

“It’s an honor to be part of the celebration, celebrating Zee, having played with him for quite some time,” Seidenberg said. “He led by example, the way he acted on the ice, off the ice – you could always count on him. He always set the tone for how hard everybody was working around him, and he got everybody to follow. I think wherever he went, he was just a presence and a leader. He deserves every bit of his honors.”

Chara made a point of reading out the names of all of his 2011 teammates during his remarks.

“They [raise] everyone, they extend careers for everyone. Everybody does better with a championship. You create dynasties, you create stories, you create memories, you create what we’re experiencing tonight,” Chara said. “The most beautiful thing about it is you create extended families with each other. You have bonds, you have friendships that are now sealed forever. We see each other, and it’s amazing; it’s like you’re seeing your brother, for real.”

Chara was also joined on the ice by those who have previously had their numbers lifted at TD Garden, including Ray Bourque, who spent 21 seasons in the Black & Gold and got his No. 77 retired in October of 2001. Bourque served as the Bruins’ captain from 1985 to 2000, and was happy the responsibility was eventually passed to Chara from 2006 to 2020. Their banners are now side by side.

“So well-deserved. Things really changed when Zee came here as a free agent. From that point on, the culture and everything that comes with that and the success and the run that they had – he was such a big part of that,” Bourque said. “I think they became the Bruins again. I think we could be proud of that group and how they played.”

Through Chara’s 1,023 career games with the Bruins, he logged a cumulative 481 points (148 goals, 333 assists). He won the Norris Trophy in 2009, the Stanley Cup in 2011 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. Chara’s total 1,680 games played ranks seventh all-time and most by a defenseman.

“I think he revolutionized the position with his size and his physicality, his talent and the way that he defended,” Bergeron said. “But also, he could score a hat trick and hurt you on the power play with his shot. I think to me, he was just the total package and a dream to have on a team.”

Chara’s impact on and off the ice will be forever remembered by generations past, present and future. His lessons and standards remain a force that drives the 2025-26 B’s. Everything, all the time, tied back to the team. And now, a subtle reminder of that will always hang above the TD Garden ice.

“It ended up being the best decision I ever made,” Chara said of coming to Boston. “I played with fear. I played with fear of failing every game. That pushed me to be playing with determination not to fail. I didn’t want to fail my teammates, my team. I kind of went into every game, and pretty much every day, to just prove, do your job and do your best. That was my mentality.”