NHL pioneer Willie O'Ree 'overwhelmed' as No. 22 raised to rafters

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Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 now has a permanent home in Boston's TD Garden.

The first Black player to appear in an NHL game, O’Ree became the 12th player in franchise history to have his number retired prior to the Bruins’ matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

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The honor came 64 years to the day after he became the league’s first Black player on Jan. 18, 1958, when he suited up against the Montreal Canadiens. O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builder category in 2018.

"It was a memorable night," O’Ree said. "I’m just thrilled and overwhelmed."

The pregame ceremony included a video montage with highlights of O’Ree’s career, as well as comments from various people who expressed how O’Ree touched their lives.

The Canadian-born O’Ree said during his speech that as a young boy growing up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, he grew up rooting for Montreal.

"But on Jan. 18, 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," he said.

The #22 of Boston Bruin Willie O'Ree is hoisted to the rafters of the TD Boston Garden during a ceremony prior to an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Boston. O'Ree, the NHL's first Black player, attended the ceremony remotely via video. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The ceremony was originally scheduled for last season but was postponed in hopes that both O’Ree and fans would be able to attend in person. O’Ree planned to be in attendance for the rescheduled event on Tuesday, but persisting concerns about the pandemic changed those plans. He