Bruins to Retire Bergeron’s Jersey Number

13 players wore No. 37 before Patrice Bergeron arrived in Boston. He wore the jersey longer than all of them combined and will be the last player to ever wear the number in a Boston Bruins uniform.

The Bruins surprised Bergeron this week and informed him that the No. 37 would be retired during the 2026-27 season. The former Bruins captain spent his entire 19-season career with the team after being drafted 45th overall in 2003 and was the gold standard for what a hockey player should be throughout his entire tenure. In 1,294 games, Bergeron scored 427 goals and 1,040 points, becoming the fourth Bruins player to reach the 1,000-point mark. He ranks third in franchise history in games, goals and points and is fourth in assists (613).

Bergeron was a crucial part of the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup run. He was also essential to building a culture in Boston that allowed them to remain competitive for the vast majority of his career, which featured three trips to the Stanley Cup. He holds the record for the most Selke Trophies of any player in NHL history, and also earned 12 consecutive nominations for the award, which is another league record.

Throughout Bergeron’s career, it became very obvious that his number would one day hang in the rafters; the discussion was never if, but always when.

Bruins Surprised Bergeron With the Announcement

The Bruins were crafty in the way they revealed to Bergeron that his number would be hoisted to the rafters. Zdeno Chara, Bergeron’s former teammate, requested that Bergeron help him promote his “Zee’s Final Shift” in Slovakia, and Bergeron was on board with helping and willing to record anything necessary for the promotion.

While Bergeron was recording his message, he received a knock on his door and was met by another Bruins legend, Johnny Bucyk, who gave him a Bergeron banner from 2011 when he won the Stanley Cup. Shortly thereafter, there was another knock at the door and Bergeron and his family were met by Bruins president Cam Neely, Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs, and two more Bruins legends in Rick Middleton and Terry O’Reilly.

Neely would then inform Bergeron that he was about to join the others from this group of Bruins by also having his number in the rafters at TD Garden.

“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words,” Bergeron said. “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. 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.”

Chara put into words just how much it meant for him to be part of this process, especially given how special their relationship grew to be over the years of playing alongside one another. Chara would always describe Bergeron as his co-captain, and their relationship extended beyond just teammates into a genuine friendship.

“He is my best friend, on and off the ice. Spent the longest time with him as a teammate, as a friend. It’s just a relationship – I think it goes way beyond the hockey memories. It’s the loyalty, the trust we built over the years, and someone I can always rely on. Someone I can always talk to about anything,” said Chara. “I think that we never thought of reaching these types of milestones. We always focused to do whatever we could for the team in the best ways we could to help the team and teammates…I am so proud of him. How he treats others, how he goes about his daily life. He’s such a great family man, such a good person. And, obviously, everyone knows he’s been an unbelievable hockey player for a very long time.”

Bergeron will become the 14th player in Bruins’ history to have his number in the rafters, forever immortalized and never forgotten. There is no Bruins’ Mount Rushmore without Bergeron and the respect he’s earned from fans, teammates, media and peers is nearly unmatched.