"To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words."
By Hayden Bird
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The Bruins will soon add one more jersey to the rafters at TD Garden.
Patrice Bergeron, Boston’s longtime captain and 2011 Stanley Cup champion, will have his No. 37 jersey retired, per a team announcement on Thursday.
The Canadian, drafted by Boston 45th overall in 2003, played with the Bruins from his NHL debut in 2003 through his retirement from professional hockey in 2023. He made three All-Star teams, and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy a record six times. Bergeron was a central presence on the Bruins’ most recent Stanley Cup win in 2011, when Boston defeated Vancouver in seven games.
“Patrice was the kind of rare, generational talent that every team wanted,” said Bruins owner and governor Jeremy M. Jacobs in a team statement. “He was a deftly skilled playmaker and the undeniable greatest defensive forward in the NHL’s history. But it was the leadership he provided on the ice and in the locker room that made him truly stand apart and an all-time legend of the Boston Bruins.”
Known for his poise, leadership, and consistency, Bergeron is also a likely candidate to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame soon (having already been inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words,” Bergeron said, per the Bruins. “When I arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, I could never have imagined receiving this recognition one day. I have always believed that any success I had was only possible because of the people around me. I was fortunate to play alongside incredible teammates, learn from outstanding coaches and staff and be supported by an organization that believed in me from the very beginning.
“I am especially grateful to my family for the sacrifices they made that allowed me to pursue my dream,” he added. “This honor belongs to all of them as much as it belongs to me. To Bruins fans across New England, thank you for welcoming a young French Canadian and making this place feel like home. Every time I stepped onto the ice, I felt the privilege and responsibility that comes with wearing the Spoked-B, and I always tried to represent this organization and community the right way. I am deeply humbled and grateful to be connected to the history of the Boston Bruins. To know that No. 37 will forever be part of that history is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Bergeron’s No. 37 will be the 14th Bruins number to be retired into the TD Garden rafters. The others, per the Bruins, are: 33 (Zdeno Chara, 2026), 22 (Willie O’Ree, 2022), 16 (Rick Middleton, 2018), 8 (Cam Neely, 2004), 24 (Terry O’Reilly, 2002), 77 (Ray Bourque, 2001), 7 (Phil Esposito, 1987), 9 (Johnny Bucyk, 1980), 4 (Bobby Orr, 1979), 15 (Milt Schmidt, 1955), 2 (Eddie Shore, 1947), 5 (Aubrey “Dit” Clapper, 1947) and 3 (Lionel Hitchman, 1934).
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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