BOSTON — 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.

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 2018.