Boston Bruins retire Zdeno Chara's No. 33, honoring the giant defenseman who led 2011 Cup victory

BOSTON (AP) — When Zdeno Chara signed with the Boston Bruins in 2006, the No. 3 he wore early in his career had already been retired by the Original Six franchise.

So he picked No. 33 without giving it much thought.

“Little did I know how meaningful 33 was,” Chara said on Thursday night before his number was raised to the TD Garden rafters not far from where Larry Bird's No. 33 already hangs in Celtics green.

It is the 13th number retired by the Bruins, and the latest in a collection of Hall of Fame defenseman that runs from Eddie Shore to Bobby Orr to Raymond Bourque.

“It's a huge honor,” Chara told reporters. "I can’t explain to you how honored I feel. I’m humbled about being selected to be one of the numbers being retired. Being with that history, forever."

The 2009 Norris Trophy winner and a 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Chara spent 14 of his 24 NHL seasons in Boston, leading the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship. His 1,680 games is the most of any NHL defenseman; at 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06m), he is the tallest player in league history, and his 108.8 mph (175.1 kmh) slap shot in the 2012 skills competition remains the NHL record.

But his teammates and other Bruins attending Thursday's ceremony said Chara's biggest contribution was signing with a team that hadn't won a playoff series in six years — “the best decision I ever made” — and turning them into champions.

“Things really changed when Zee came here as a free agent,” Bourque said. "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.

“He’s a legend,” Bourque said. “He really deserves to be up there.”

Bourque was among the former Bruins greats in attendance, along with Orr — both of them, like Chara, Boston defensemen who finished their careers elsewhere on their way to the Hall of Fame. They arrived via gold carpet that led them past adoring fans and the statue of Orr flying through the air following his Cup-winning goal in the 1970 finals.

Other fellow retired number honorees in attendance included Cam Neely, Willie O’Ree, Rick Middleton, Terry O'Reilly and John Bucyk. The current Bruins sat on the bench, all wearing Chara jerseys.

Five members of the 2011 roster — Patrice Bergeron, Mark Recchi, Dennis Seidenberg, David Krejci and Tuukka Rask — carried the retired number onto the ice, and teammate Andrew Ference served as emcee.

In his speech, Chara read the names of every player on the Bruins last Cup winners. Asked why, he said after: “Without championships, you are not going to be successful, you’re not going to be recognized.

"The championships, that’s what they do. They raise everyone, they extend careers for everyone,” he explained. "They create dynasties. They create stories. They create memories. They created what we’re experiencing tonight.

"It’s very simple: Once you win the championship, everything gets so much better for everyone. And the most beautiful thing about it: You create extended families with each other. It’s true. You have bonds, you have friendships that are now still forever. It’s amazing; it’s like you’re seeing your brother. You trust the person; you know everything about them. And anytime anybody needs something, you’re there for them.

“That’s what winning championships do,” he said. “Not just for a career, but for the rest of your lives, it means something very special.”

The ceremony at center ice featured a “Big Zee” ice sculpture flanking the podium and a large No. 33 behind it. Fans were asked to get in their seats two hours early, and the full TD Garden erupted in a giant shout of “Zee!” followed by an extended cheer of “Thank you, Chara!”

A highlight video featured former Bruins Brad Marchand and current coach Marco Sturm, Chara's teammate from 2006-10. Many of them spoke of the way Chara led by example.

“He wasn’t really a ‘Rah, rah!’ guy,” former Bruins forward and current team president Neely said, “but when he spoke, it was with a purpose.”

And so, when it was time to raise his No. 33 to the rafters, Chara stood by with his wife, Tatiana, while their children — Zack, Ben and Elliz — pulled the ropes.

“That’s the biggest reward for me: To see my children and my family doing it instead of me. I think I get better joy watching them doing it than the joy of me doing it because it's so much more meaningful,” he explained. "They deserve that more than me."

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara speaks during his number retirement ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leads his family over to his number "33" to raise it to the rafters before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, center, waves to the crowd during his number retirement ceremony, as Bruins' players with their number already retired, from left, Willie O'Ree, Rick Middleton, Terrry O'Reilly, Cam Neely, emcee Andrew Ferrance and Bobby Orr look on before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara's number "33" is raised to the rafters at TD Garden before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Bobby Orr applauds, left bottom, as former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara waves to the crowd during his number retirement ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

PREDAZZO, Italy (AP) — Domen Prevc knew he had done something special when he landed his final jump. He rolled his fists in the air, pointing his fingers skyward and took a bow as Slovenian flags waved and the crowd roared.

Prevc's jump not only helped Slovenia defend its gold medal in the mixed team event at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday, but he and his sibling, Nika Prevc, became the first brother and sister to win a medal in ski jumping at the same Olympics.

“This medal is something I wanted since I started ski jumping,” Nika Prevc said. “But today I share it with my team and with my brother and this is even better.”

Norway took silver with a foursome that included a jumper who was suspended last year in a jumpsuit-tampering scandal that caused an uproar in the sport and brought shame to the country that invented it.

Japan captured its third bronze in the third ski jumping event of the Games.

The Prevc siblings arrived for their Olympic debuts as the top-ranked ski jumpers in the world. Both are defending world champions, each has a record for the longest jump and they both sit far ahead of their competition on the World Cup circuit.

But until Tuesday, the normal hill — the smaller of the two ski jumping hills — had not been the place for them to shine. Nika was teary-eyed Saturday after finishing second and Domen, who is not a standout on the normal hill, finished sixth on Monday.

Domen Prevc said he and his sister were inspired by teammate Nika Vodan, the only carryover from the gold medal squad from 2022, who had led off the contest with a 100-meter jump, putting Slovenia in the lead after the first 12 women jumped. Anze Lanisek followed in the next group with a 102-meter jump and the Prevc siblings came on strong each time Japan or Norway threatened.

Norway's team included Anna Odine Stroem, who won the gold medal in the women’s event Saturday, and Marius Lindvik, the reigning world champion who won gold on the men’s normal hill at the Beijing Olympics in 2022. Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal and Eirin Maria Kvandal were also part of the squad.

The Japanese team included Ren Nikaido and Nozomi Maruyama, who won bronze medals in the individual men’s and women’s competitions, and Ryoyu Kobayashi, who won gold in Beijing in 2022. The medal was redemption for Sara Takanashi, who had just missed a medal in the last Olympics, landing fourth in the women's event.

Lindvik said the silver brought redemption for him and took the tarnish off the team. He and teammate Johann André Forfang were suspended for three months last year after their coaches and a staff member were caught on camera tampering with their suits.

“It’s been a very tough year and a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “So it's nice to take the silver together with the team.”

Stitching was added to the suits to stiffen the crotch area, allowing the athletes to fly farther. The manipulation happened before the large hill event but was only discovered later, after Lindvik had won the silver medal. He was subsequently stripped of the award.

Neither Lindvik nor Forfang was charged with knowing about the stitch wizardry, but the international ski federation, FIS, the governing body for ski jumping, said the jumpers “should have checked and asked questions about the nighttime adjustments.”

The sibling record was a second of sorts for the Prevc family. Nika's silver medal in the individual event made her the first woman to join a brother — two in her case — to win Olympic medals in the sport.

The Prevc siblings' older brother, Peter, who has since retired from the sport, had led the Slovenian team to the gold in Beijing in the mixed event, taking advantage of jumpsuit violations by German Katharina Althaus and Takanashi.

Ski jumping has been part of the Olympics since the inaugural Winter Games in 1924, but women were only included for the first time in 2014. The mixed team event debuted in Beijing four years ago.

Peter Prevc paired with brother Cene, who is also now retired, and two others to win silver medals in the men’s large hill team event in Beijing.

Four of the five Prevc siblings now have Olympic medals — and that's the way it will stay because the youngest wants nothing to do with ski jumping.

But more medals for the two still competing are possible. Domen and Nika Prevc still have the large hill event next weekend and the men’s super team event is on Feb. 16.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Siblings Nika Prevc, and Domen Prevc, of Slovenia, pose after winning the gold medal in the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ren Nikaido, of Japan, reacts after his final round jump during the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Fans watch Nozomi Maruyama, of Japan, soaring through the air during the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.(AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Eirin Maria Kvandal, from left, Marius Lindvik, Anna Odine Stroem, and Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, of Norway, celebrate after their final round jump during the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Domen Prevc, center, of Slovenia, celebrates with teammates Nika Vodan, Nika Prevc and Anze Lanisek, after winning the gold medal in the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Nika Vodan, from left, Nika Prevc, Domen Prevc, and Anze Lanisek, of Slovenia, pose after winning the gold medal in the ski jumping mixed team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Predazzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)