In their World Junior dedicated issue, Brian Costello penned a tremendous brief for The Hockey News magazine. Costello argued that the Hockey Hall of Fame, under unique circumstances, should forgo a bylaw instilled following Wayne Gretzky’s immediate enshrinement in 1999, stating that recent retirees aren’t Hall eligible for three years.
While revisionist history remains undefeated, you must remember Mario Lemieux had retired two years prior due to health issues. So, Wayne, as the outlier, would get his immediate enshrinement in 1999, and Mario, by rule, would be inducted in 2000.
But back to the present day. Costello specifically named Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the beneficiaries. Perhaps two of the greatest luminaries the sport has been fortunate enough to have for nearly two decades. Reinvigorating a stagnant sport post-lockout and leaving even the most ludicrous expectations in their wake. It would only make sense to see them enter hockey immortality together.
Which got me thinking. Now that the centennial celebrations have concluded, the Boston Bruins are in need of some interior decorating. It has been widely speculated that both Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron will have their numbers retired by the Bruins following their Hall of Fame inductions.
As luck would have it, Chara is a class of 2025 eligible, and I’d like to imagine we live in a world where he is a unanimous first-ballot inductee. So, by that logic, he’ll be the 13th number hoisted to the rafters during the 2025-26 season. Start saving your pennies for any home game against the Ottawa Senators or New York Islanders now.
However, this is where I’d like to see Patrice Bergeron benefit from the Costello argument. He is not bypassing his way to an early Hall of Fame induction, as he isn’t eligible until 2026, but he is joining Chara in entering Bruins immortality during the same season.
Ray Bourque,1979-2000, is the most recent Bruin in terms of tenure to have his number retired. This means Boston has a quarter century’s worth of players worthy of being immortalized.
This, of course, is destined to change, beginning first with Chara as early as next season. Bergeron, ideally within the same calendar year, followed in no particular order by Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand.
Season 4. Episode 39. The Off Season – Bruins Benders Podcast
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