Willie O'Ree, the first black player to appear in an NHL game, was finally retired Tuesday night by his number 22 by the Boston Bruins.
"From a young age, my heart and my mind were set to make it to the NHL. I am grateful and honored that it was with the Bruins," O'Ree said in a speech given before the Bruins' 7- Boston In 1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes.
O'Ree, 86, received the honor on January 18, 1958, 64 years after breaking the NHL's color barrier in a game between the Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens. He would play 45 games in the NHL, with Boston, over the course of two seasons (1957–58, 1960–61).
O'Ree is the 12th Bruins to retire his number and move to the Rafters for the first time since Rick Middleton's No. 16 in 2018. O'Ree was supposed to retire his number on February 18, 2021, but this was postponed. Due to COVID-19 fan capacity restrictions.
"To the Bruins fans, I am honored to have the pleasure of playing in front of you. Thank you for your tremendous love and support," O'Ree said. "It's an unforgettable day. I'm overwhelmed and thrilled to be a part of the Bruins forever."
O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, she has served as the diversity ambassador for the NHL over the past few decades.
He delivered his keynote remarks virtually from his family home in San Diego.
“While my family and I were looking forward to attending the celebrations in person, the long journey and the associated risks that come with a cross-country trip have led us to make the difficult decision of attending virtually,” O'Ree said earlier this month.
Bruins players took to the ice for the warm-up in special edition jerseys, with the commemorative Willie O'Ree patch on them—his number 22 inside his logo, his two NHL seasons listed below. The players also secured number 22 in the warm-up. Inside his dressing room, his locker had a patch with a commemorative nameplate and a picture of O'Ree. 22 decals were placed behind both nets in TD Garden snow, where they would remain for the next three home games in Boston.
The celebration extended outside the arena as well. The City of Boston declared January 18 as "Willie O'Ree Day". Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and City Hall were decorated with gold in his honor. Arenas around the NHL honored O'Ree on the Jumbotron before games.
"I think it's a great honor for Willie," said Boston coach Bruce Cassidy. "She's a trailblazer to say the least. I'm so happy for her and her family."
The Bruins met with O'Ree virtually on Monday, with players gathering in the team's film room. They were given one of their trademark fedoras by the team, with winger David Pasternak saying that the Bruins tucked into the band had wings in colors.
Players of color from around the NHL also celebrated the moment for O'Ree. Some appeared in pregame video tributes, including New York Rangers forward Ryan Reeves and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matthew Joseph.
Others took to social media.
Wayne Simmonds of the Toronto Maple Leafs tweeted, "Tonight, #22 of my idol Willie O'Ree will be hanging from the ceiling." "I cannot stress enough how much Mr. O'Ree means to me and to the millions of other BIPOC kids who love the game of hockey."