Willie O'Ree will have to wait a little longer to see his No. 22 raised to the TD Garden rafters.
The Bruins and the NHL announced on Thursday that O'Ree's number retirement ceremony, originally scheduled to be held on Feb. 18, has been moved to Jan. 18, 2022, which will be the 64th anniversary of O'Ree becoming the first Black player in the NHL.
The NHL said in a statement that they respectfully asked to move the ceremony after consulting with O'Ree and the Bruins, and that both "graciously agreed to this change."
"We hope and expect the change will enable us all to commemorate this moment in a way that matches the magnitude of Willie's impact -- in front of a TD Garden crowd packed with passionate Bruins fans, who can express their admiration and appreciation for Willie and create the meaningful moment he has earned throughout his incredible career," the league said.
O'Ree, now 85, became the first Black player to play in an NHL game on Jan. 18, 1958, when he dressed for the Bruins in a game against the Canadiens. He played two games before being sent down to the minors, but returned to the Bruins to play 43 games in 1960-61, registering four goals and 10 assists that season.
Since 1998, O’Ree has been the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, traveling around North America to schools and hockey programs to promote inclusion and the league’s Hockey Is For Everyone initiatives.
In 2018, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the “builder” category, which is defined by "coaching, managerial or executive ability, or ability in another significant off-ice role, sportsmanship, character and contributions to his or her organization or organizations and to the game of hockey in general."
The Bruins initially planned to retire O'Ree's number now, despite not being able to have fans in the stands, and then hold a bigger ceremony at a later date with fans in attendance.
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