Haverhill’s Jordan Harris plans to take in every special moment on Thursday.
From walking through the doors of his beloved TD Garden, to entering the home hockey locker room where his sweater will be hanging — with the famed black and gold color scheme, “Spoked B” on its chest, and “Harris” on the back, above his No. 43 — to everything that follows.
He will no longer be a fan in the stands, cheering on the team he has loved since childhood, a college star or professional opponent.
Harris is now, officially, a member of the Boston Bruins.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m really excited,” said Harris. “I grew up watching the Bruins every night, so the feeling of putting on that jersey and making the team is something really special for me and my family. I don’t take these moments for granted. I’m focused on hockey, but it’s still a little surreal.”
Harris was officially named to Boston’s 23-man active roster ahead of Wednesday night’s season-opener at the Washington Capitals.
On Thursday, the defenseman will take part in his first home opener as a member of the Bruins, when they welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to the Garden for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
“I think I’ll take a look around and really take everything in for a bit,” he said. “I’ll obviously be focused on the game, but I’ll take a moment to take it all in. As a kid, we went to Bruins games at the Garden once or twice a year, and it was such a special treat. I remember watching the game and being all wide-eyed and excited watching NHL players. It’ll be different to be one of the guys on the Bruins.
“You don’t know how long you’re going to play hockey for. Hopefully I’ll be around for 15 years. But every special moment on the ice is something you have to enjoy. Putting that Bruins jersey on for a real game is something very, very special.”
This marks the fifth NHL season for Harris, and the first with his hometown Bruins following three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens (2021-24) and last winter with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s appeared in 164 NHL games.
The 25-year-old Harris, whose family still lives in Haverhill, signed a 1-year, $825,000 deal with the Bruins in July. He then earned his spot as one of seven defensemen on the active roster with a strong preseason.
“Putting on the Bruins sweater for the first time, even for a preseason game, was really cool,” he said. “One of the first things I noticed was the new logo, which looks really great. I took a moment to look at myself wearing it and really appreciate that. I think I played well in the preseason. We won all the games I played in. I played hard, and just tried to show the whole scope of my game.
“I didn’t find out I made the roster from the coaches or anything. I was at lunch with some of the guys and we were finding out the players that had been put on waivers. I was confident, but you never know what will happen. I just want to keep showing what I can do as a player.”
Harris will look to contribute to a Bruins defensive group that is led by All-Stars Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm.
And his knows that calling the TD Garden home will be very different than visiting as an opponent.
“It’s going to be way better than being a visitor at the Garden,” he said. “Being a visitor is brutal. It’s a very tough place to play as a visiting player. To be on the other side is a much better feeling. The Garden’s one of the best buildings in the NHL, if not the best. The crowd is loud, the music is always pumping and there is so much history. It’s an amazing rink.”
TWITTER: DWillisET