Former Boston Bruins captain and franchise great Patrice Bergeron will have his No. 37 jersey retired by the team in a ceremony during the 2026-27 season, the Bruins announced on Thursday.
“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honour that is difficult to put into words,” said Bergeron in a release. “When I arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, I could never have imagined receiving this recognition one day.
“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 honour belongs to all of them as much as it belongs to me.”
Bergeron spent the entirety of his 19-year NHL career with the Bruins, from 2003-2023. He served as team captain for his final three seasons with the team, earned the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward an NHL-record six times and helped guide the team to a Stanley Cup title in 2011.
“Patrice was the kind of rare, generational talent that every team wanted,” said Bruins owner and governor Jeremy M. Jacobs in a release on Thursday. “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.”
“Across his remarkable career, Patrice Bergeron established himself as one of the greatest two-way forwards the game has seen and as a cornerstone to one of the most successful periods of Bruins hockey in our franchise’s history,” said Bruins president Cam Neely.
Bergeron has the third-most goals (427), points (1,040) and games played (1,294) in franchise history, and will be the 14th number retired by the Bruins.
“To Bruins fans across New England, thank you for welcoming a young French Canadian and making this place feel like home,” Bergeron said. “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 will become the second Bruins player of the 21st century to have his number retired, joining defenceman and longtime teammate Zdeno Chara - with whom he shares the NHL record for Game 7 appearances (seven).
