The Boston Bruins are making it official: Patrice Bergeron’s No. 37 is headed to the TD Garden rafters. The team announced Thursday that the former captain’s number will be retired, with a formal ceremony to be scheduled at a later date. Bergeron, who walked away from the NHL in 2023 after 19 seasons in Boston, said he was “humbled and grateful” to be tied so closely to the franchise’s history, a fitting capstone to a career already etched into team lore.
The plan was confirmed in a club statement, as reported by WCVB. The Bruins have not yet circled a night on the calendar for the banner-raising ceremony, and WCVB notes that Bergeron’s No. 37 will become the 14th number retired by the organization. The move follows his official retirement two years ago and continues the team’s recent run of honoring its modern-era stars.
Bergeron’s career and accolades
According to the Bruins’ retrospective on BostonBruins.com, Bergeron suited up for 1,294 regular-season games over those 19 seasons, piling up 427 goals and 613 assists. He retired in 2023 as a six-time Selke Trophy winner, a 2011 Stanley Cup champion and a five-time international gold medalist for Canada. That combination of hardware solidified his reputation as one of the game’s elite two-way centers.
Club praise and statements
Team brass did not hold back when the news went public. Owner Jeremy M. Jacobs praised Bergeron as “a deftly skilled playmaker and the greatest defensive forward in NHL history,” while CEO Charlie Jacobs said the longtime captain “consistently set the standard on and off the ice,” comments reported by WCVB. The organization’s tone made clear that, in its view, this honor was less a surprise than an inevitability.
Rafters, timing and what fans should know
The Bruins have yet to reveal when the banner will go up, saying only that a formal hoisting at TD Garden will be scheduled. When it happens, Bergeron’s No. 37 will join the short list of honored numbers on the franchise’s history pages, a rare distinction the team tracks through the Boston Bruins site. Fans eyeing a trip to see the ceremony should keep an eye on the club’s official announcements for ticket and timing details. The TD Garden site lists the arena at 100 Legends Way in Boston.
For the city and generations of Bruins diehards, the decision puts a final, visible stamp on one of Boston’s most steady leaders. Once that No. 37 banner is hanging overhead, it will stand as a nightly reminder of Bergeron’s durability, his two-way excellence and the big-stage moments that defined his run in Black & Gold, from Selke trophies to Olympic golds and a Stanley Cup.
