This Week In Bruins History: Sending Number 24 to the Rafters.

On October 24th 2002 the Boston Bruins retired number 24 and raised it to the rafters for eternity. Number 24 belong to one of the toughest and hardest working players that the NHL has ever had lace up a pair of skates. 24 spent his whole career as a Bruins and even coached the team to the Stanley Cup during the 1989-90 where they eventually lost the the Edmonton Oilers. He was a boarder line Hall of Famer, Stanley Cup Champion and all around fan favorite. Terry O'Reilly was one of the true legends that the sport of hockey will ever see.

Terry O'Reilly scored 204 goals, 402 assist and an impressive +212 during his fourteen year career. O'Reilly didn't put up good enough number to be in the Hall of Fame, but he was a hero to Boston none the less. It was time to honor his career with the Bruins by retiring his number. The Bruins and Senators played to a 2-2 tie that Tuesday evening. Brian Rolston and old friends Hal Gill scored goals for the Bruins that night. Current captain Zdeno Chara logged over twenty-seven that night for Ottawa as well.

It was a final farewell for Terry O'Reilly. There wasn't a better way of honoring his career acheivements than to retire his number. Ray Bourque summed up O'Reilly's career in a simple quote in reference to their banners hanging side to side by saying, "the banner hangs next to mine, protecting me again. That's awesome."