Exactly 64 years ago to the day, Willie O’Ree broke the NHL's color barrier in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. The same Canadiens team that O’Ree admitted to being a fan of growing up.
“I do remember not being a Bruins fan. As a young boy in Fredericton, New Brunswick I grew up rooting for the Montreal Canadiens,” O’Ree said virtually shortly before his No. 22 was raised to the rafters at TD Garden Tuesday, officially retiring his number.
“But on January the 18th, 1958 when the Bruins called me up to make my NHL debut in a game against the Canadiens, I knew my heart would be with the Bruins forever and I was very happy when we beat Montreal 3-0 that evening.”
O’Ree played 45 games in the NHL, all with the Bruins over the course of two seasons from 1957 through 1961. O’Ree becomes the 12th number retired by the Bruins, joining players such as Bobby Orr, Milt Schmidt and Ray Bourque up in the TD Garden rafters.
“I’m gratefully thrilled and honored to have the Bruins organization think enough of me to honor me for my number being retired,” O’Ree said. “When I started playing hockey, I just wanted to play hockey and have fun. This is just a memorable evening for not only myself, but my family.”
The Bruins had previously planned on raising O’Ree’s No. 22 the rafters last February, but decided to reschedule due to TD Garden not being allowed to host fans at the time. Due to an abundance of caution surrounding the pandemic, O’Ree took in the ceremony from his San Diego home.
“To have my number retired and up there in the rafters with so many great other hockey players that have played for the Bruins is just amazing,” O’Ree said. “I’m just thrilled and overwhelmed.”
In 1998, O'Ree was named the NHL's Diversity Ambassador, tasked with helping grow the game of hockey while providing support to the Hockey is for Everyone initiative.
“When I started with the National Hockey League and the Hockey is for Everyone program in 1996, all I wanted to do was work with boys and girls and help them set goals for themselves and work towards their goals,” said O’Ree.
“I played hockey for 21 years and I thought I had something to give back to not only to the sport, but to the community. The Hockey is for Everyone program is a great program.”
O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
As for the game that followed the O’Ree jersey retirement ceremony, well, it was one for the Bruins to forget. From the start, the Hurricanes were the better team, using their speed and up-tempo game to give the Bruins fits.
Before the Bruins knew what hit them, they trailed 2-0, then 5-1 after one, eventually falling 7-1.
Tuukka Rask got the start, allowing five goals on 12 shots. Rask was replaced by Linus Ullmark to start the second period.
The Bruins didn’t do Rask many favors in the period, leaving Rask out to dry on several occasions, most of which ended up in the back of the Bruins net.
The loss snapped the Bruins five-game win streak.
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