Bruins Retired Jerseys: Every Number That Hangs From TD Garden Rafters

The Boston Bruins have filled their shared rafters not only with six Stanley Cup banners, but with twice as many honoring the greatest to ever sport the Black and Gold on the ice throughout their 100-year-old history.

When looking toward the TD Garden’s ceiling, a collection of all-time Bruins legends are commemorated right alongside its neighboring Boston Celtics title/retired numbers banners.

Here’s a full list of the 12 retired numbers of some of the most iconic Bruins players:

Eddie Shore, No. 2 (1926-1940)
An eight-time All-Star and four-time winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy, Shore set the standard for defenseman. Those four Hart trophies are still the most ever won by a defenseman in NHL history.

Shore assisted the Bruins to two Stanley Cup titles, was regarded as the first Bruins superstar, and was inducted into the Pro Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945.

Lionel Hitchman, No. 3 (1925-1934)
Hitchman paired with Shore to form one of the NHL’s all-time dominant defensive tandems, which was instrumental in Boston’s 1929 championship.

Highly respected, Hitchman finished among the top ten in defensive points on six occasions and became the first player to be honored with a retired jersey number by the Bruins.

Bobby Orr, No. 4 (1966-1976)
The undisputed most iconic and greatest player in Bruins history.

Orr ended a decade-long playing career as a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, two-time Art Ross Trophy recipient — the only defenseman to ever win one — and a nine-time All-Star. When joining the team, the Bruins hadn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1941, but Orr helped change that, leading two title runs — in 1970 and 1972.

Boston’s most iconic photo — of Orr leaping above the ice with his arms and feet in the air — came after scoring a game-winning goal in overtime to secure a 1970 Stanley Cup over the St. Louis Blues. That ended Boston’s 29-year-old drought.

Orr’s No. 4 was retired in 1979 and he was inducted into the Pro Hockey Hall of Fame.

Aubrey “Dit” Clapper, No. 5 (1927-1947)
The only player in franchise history to partake in three Stanley Cup championship runs with the Bruins, Clapper was as skilled as he was staggering (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) for his time.

Clapper flourished, both as a right wing and defender, totaling six All-Star appearances — four as a defender and two as a forward. He lasted two decades with the team, becoming the first NHL player to take the ice for that long, and was inducted into the Pro Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.

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Phil Esposito, No. 7 (1967-1975)
Esposito, or to many known as “Espo,” became the NHL’s first player to record 100 points in a single season, which he did six times.

There might not be a bigger regret in Chicago Blackhawks history than when the organization traded Esposito away in 1967. He notched 60-plus-goal seasons on four occasions and led the NHL in goals six times, leading by example in jaw-dropping fashion.

During his nine-year run with the Bruins, Esposito became the team’s most elite scorer, holding the NHL record for goals scored in a single season (76) until Wayne Gretzky entered the scene 12 years later.

Esposito was inducted into the Pro Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.

Cam Neely, No. 8 (1986-1996)
Now team president, Neely previously rocked Boston’s threads before switching for a suit up in the organization’s office.

Neely totaled three 50-goal seasons, becoming a major regret for the Vancouver Canucks to lose sleep over after trading him to the Bruins in 1986. That swap worked out swimmingly for Boston as Neely was deemed the quintessential power forward, finishing as a four-time All-Star and eventual Pro Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in 2005.

Johnny Bucyk, No. 9 (1957-1978)
Boston’s all-time scoring leader (545 goals), Bucyk was named team captain for five seasons with the Bruins, best known for his character above all else.

At times, Bucyk was overshadowed by flashy, star-studded teammates like Orr and Esposito, but was still celebrated by fans and the organization. He was named an All-Star twice and helped the B’s win two Stanley Cups.

Bucyk joined the Pro Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981.

Milt Schmidt, No. 15 (1936-1955)
Schmidt became the Swiss army knife type of guy, playing, coaching, and serving as general manager of the Bruins while excelling wherever Boston placed him.

A four-time All-Star, Schmidt won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies, putting together a Hall of Fame career — inducted in 1961 — despite taking a three-year hiatus (1942-1945) to serve for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Rick Middleton, No. 16 (1976-1988)
Middleton was another lead by example player, leading the Bruins in points throughout a five-year span (1978 to 1982).

In the 1982-83 season, Middleton was stellar when the stakes were raised, leading Boston in playoff points (33) — setting an NHL record for most points from a player who didn’t advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. In the quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres, Middleton racked up 19 points — also a record.

Middleton is tied with Bucyk for sixth all-time in playoff points scored in Bruins history with 100.

Willie O’Ree, No. 22 (1958-1961)
O’Ree finished off a two-year stint with the Bruins as one of the NHL’s most important players, responsible for breaking the league’s color barrier in the 1957-58 season.

He played 45 career games for the Bruins, scoring four goals with 10 assists, all while overcoming countless racial taunts and attacks from both fans and opposing players. Many consider O’Ree the NHL’s Jackie Robinson, and the ex-winger remains heavily involved as the league’s diversity ambassador after being appointed in 1988.

O’Ree’s efforts in fighting for a more inclusive NHL earned him a Congressional Gold Medal from President Joe Biden in 2022, becoming the first player in NHL history to be presented with the honor.

Terry O’Reilly, No. 24 (1971-1985)
Nicknamed “Taz,” O’Reilly was among the most gritty, hard-nosed Bruins, serving as team captain from 1983 to 1985.

O’Reilly made two All-Star appearances, finished with 606 career points in a 13-year career (spent entirely with Boston), and was as tough as nails. He logged over 2,000 career penalty minutes, reaching the 200-minute mark in a five-season span.

After his playing days, O’Reilly became a coach for the Bruins.

Ray Bourque, No. 77 (1979-2000)
Bourque was as stellar as his resume suggests — or maybe even better?

A five-time Norris Trophy Winner and 12-time All-Star (with the Bruins), Bourque is widely recognized as worthy of the franchise’s Mount Rushmore of all-time legends. When he left Boston in 2000 and was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, Bourque led the Bruins in games played, assists and points. He was even rooted for from afar during Colorado’s Stanley Cup run in 2001, giving Bourque his first and only ring.