To the rafters.
The #NHLBruins are proud to announce that during the upcoming 2026-27 season, the club will bestow its highest honor upon Patrice Bergeron by retiring his No. 37.
Getty
Patrice Bergeron with the Boston Bruins.
The Boston Bruins are a part of the National Hockey League’s ‘Original Six’, and as a result, they’re one of the most storied franchises in the history of not only hockey, but sports in North America as a whole. From Stanley Cup success to big moments and even more iconic players, Bruins fans have had plenty to cheer for over the history of the organization.
While the Stanley Cup success in the modern era hasn’t been there, the team hoisted the Cup back in 2011 with a victory over the Vancouver Canucks, which is highly regarded as one of the best Cup winning teams in a long time.
GettyPatrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins.
During that run, Patrice Bergeron was a key piece of the team, and in 2021, he was officially named captain, replacing long-time leader Zdeno Chara, serving in the role until he retired, being replaced by another long-time piece in Brad Marchand.
Even before he was captain, Bergeron was seen as arguably the best two-way center in the sport, and with his immense consistency, he has been a perfect Boston Bruin, becoming a fan favorite for an entire generation of Bruins fans. Throughout his career in Boston, Bergeron posted 427 goals and 1,040 points over 1,294 games, and with another 128 points in 170 Stanley Cup Playoffs games, he was the perfect fit for the Bruins organization.
When he retired following the 2022/23 season, many believed it was a matter of when, not if the Bruins would retire his No. 37 to the rafters of the TD Garden, and on Thursday we got our answer, as the team officially announced the move.
To the rafters.
The #NHLBruins are proud to announce that during the upcoming 2026-27 season, the club will bestow its highest honor upon Patrice Bergeron by retiring his No. 37.
According to the Bruins press release, there’s no official time or date for the ceremony yet, but after giving 19 years of his career to the team, this is a well deserved honor for Bergeron. When his number ascends to the rafters, he’ll become the 15th player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining the star studded list of: Edward Shore, Lionel Hitchman, Bobby Orr, Dit Clapper, Phil Esposito, Cam Neely, John Bucyk, Milton Schmidt, Richard Middleton, Willie O’Ree, Terry O’Reilly, Ray Bourque and his long-time teammate, Zdeno Chara.
While he helped bring Boston just one Stanley Cup, there were many more memories and incredible performances for Bergeron across his 19-year career, as he would end up becoming synonymous with the Selke Trophy. In his career, Bergeron took home the award on six different occasions as the best defensive forward in the National Hockey League, while winning the King Clancy and Mark Messier Leadership Award once each, showing that he’s not only a star in his play, but his leadership and sportsmanship as well.
Simply put, every team in the NHL would love to have a Bergeron in their lineup for almost two straight decades, and after all he accomplished on and off the ice in Boston, this is a well deserved honor for the long-time NHL star.
Nathan Smith Nathan Smith is a writer with Heavy Sports covering the NHL and MLB. He brings a decade of experience covering sports in North America for digital platforms such as PFSN, Athlon Sports and FanSided. More about Nathan Smith
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