Boston Bruins

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox NHL team The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making them the third-oldest active team in the NHL, and the oldest in the United States.

The Bruins are one of the "Original Six" NHL teams, along with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth-most of any team with the Blackhawks (trailing the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings, with 24, 13, and 11, respectively), and tied for second-most for an NHL team based in the United States. The Bruins have also won the Presidents' Trophy four times, with their most recent win in 2022–23 having amassed 135 points—the most in one season in NHL history.

The first facility to host the Bruins was the Boston Arena (now known as Matthews Arena), the world's oldest (built 1909–10) indoor ice hockey facility still in use for the sport at any level of competition.<ref name="gonu">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="fitz">Template:Cite web</ref> Following the Bruins' departure from the Boston Arena, the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons, beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995, when they moved to TD Garden.

History

Template:Further

Early years (1924–1942)

In 1924, the NHL made the decision to expand to the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The previous year in 1923, sports promoter Thomas Duggan received options on three NHL franchises for the United States, and sold one to Boston grocery magnate Charles Adams.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team was one of the NHL's first expansion teams, and the first NHL team to be based in the United States. Adams' first act as owner was to hire Art Ross, a former player and innovator, as general manager.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Ross, with assistance from his secretary, came up with "Bruins" for a team nickname.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team's nickname also went along with the team's original uniform colors of brown and yellow, which came from Adams' grocery chain, First National Stores.<ref name=":0"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Eddie Shore as a member of the Boston Bruins.

On December 1, 1924, the Bruins won the first ever NHL game played in the United States, hosting the Montreal Maroons at Boston Arena, with Smokey Harris scoring the first-ever Bruins goal,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> spurring the Bruins to a 2–1 win.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This would be one of the few high points of the season, as the Bruins lost their next 11 games and only managed a 6–24–0 record, finishing in last place in its first season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins played three more seasons at the Arena, after which they became the main tenant of Boston Garden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Bruins improved in their second season to a winning 17–15–4 record, which originally held the record for the biggest single-season improvement in NHL history.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, they missed out on the third and final playoff berth by one point to the expansion Pittsburgh Pirates.<ref>Standings: Template:Cite book</ref>

In their third season, Ross took advantage of the collapse of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to purchase several western stars, including the team's first great star, defenseman Eddie Shore. With the Bruins, he would go on to become one of the greatest players in NHL history.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Boston qualified for the then-expanded playoffs. In their first-ever playoff run, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Ottawa Senators.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Stanley Cup-winning game for the Senators would see Bruins' Billy Coutu attack the referee, earning him a ban from the NHL for life, the only in league history.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Tiny Thompson was the goaltender for the Bruins from 1928 to 1938. He helped the team win its first Stanley Cup in Template:Scfy.

The 1928–29 season was the first played at Boston Garden. It also featured the NHL debut of goaltender Tiny Thompson,<ref name="TinyThompson">Template:Cite web</ref> who assisted the Bruins in defeating the New York Rangers to win their first Stanley Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1929–30, the Bruins posted the best-ever regular season winning percentage in the NHL (.875, a record which still stands) because of a 38–5–1 record,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 1936, owner Charles Adams transferred ownership to his son Weston Adams.<ref name="Bruins_HOF">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1939, the team captured its second Stanley Cup. That year, Thompson was traded to make room for rookie goaltender Frank Brimsek.<ref name="TinyThompson"/> Brimsek had an award-winning season, capturing the Vezina and Calder Trophies,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> becoming the first rookie named to the NHL first All-Star team, and earning the nickname "Mr. Zero".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team skating in front of Brimsek included Bill Cowley, Shore, Dit Clapper and "Sudden Death" Mel Hill (who scored three overtime goals in one playoff series),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> together with the "Kraut line" of center Milt Schmidt, right winger Bobby Bauer and left winger Woody Dumart.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In the 1939–40 season, Shore was traded to the New York Americans for his final NHL season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1941, the Bruins won their third Stanley Cup after losing only eight games and finishing first in the regular season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> World War II affected the Bruins more than most teams; Brimsek and the "Krauts" all enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force following the 1941 Cup win.<ref name="origins">Template:Cite news</ref>

Original Six era (1942–1967)

The NHL had by 1942 been reduced, for the next 25 years, to the six teams that would come to be called the "Original Six".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1944, Bruins' Herb Cain set the then-NHL record for points in a season with 82.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The stars returned from World War II for the 1945–46 season, and Clapper led the team back to the Stanley Cup Final as player-coach. He retired as a player after the next season, becoming the first player to play twenty NHL seasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clapper retired as a player in 1947 then retired as coach in 1949. His retirement as coach came at the same time as goalie Frank Brimsek requesting a trade,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> to which he was granted one on September 8, 1949.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1951, Walter A. Brown purchased the Boston Bruins from Weston Adams.

Owner Weston began facing financial trouble at the start of the 1950s. He accepted a buyout offer from Walter A. Brown, the owner of the Boston Celtics and the Garden, in 1951.<ref name="Walter_Brown">Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins did not have regular success during this era, aside from appearances in the Template:Scfy,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Scfy,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and 1958 Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1954, Art Ross retired and Lynn Patrick took over as general manager.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the 1954–55 season, an incident occurred between the Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens. Bruins defenseman Hal Laycoe high-sticked Canadiens star Maurice Richard in the head, and Richard went after Laycoe, going as far as punching a linesman to get to Laycoe. Following his removal from the game, the Montreal fans began to riot, only calming down after Richard told them to.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On June 3, 1955, the Bruins completed a nine-player trade with the Detroit Red Wings to acquire goaltender Terry Sawchuk as well as forward Marcel Bonin.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> However, Sawchuk's playing ability would be affected after contracting infectious mononucleosis and he would quit hockey midway through the 1956–57 season.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On June 10, 1957, Sawchuk was dealt back to the Red Wings in exchange for Johnny Bucyk.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On January 18, 1958, the first-ever black NHL player, Willie O'Ree, stepped onto the ice for the Bruins. He played in 45 games for the Bruins over the 1957–58 and 1960–61 seasons.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The "Uke Line"—named for the Ukrainian heritage of Johnny Bucyk, Vic Stasiuk, and Bronco Horvath—was formed in 1957 and enjoyed four seasons together until Stasiuk's trade to the Red Wings in 1961.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

At the 1964 NHL amateur draft, the Bruins drafted Ken Dryden, but traded his rights to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for two prospects.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1966, head coach Milt Schmidt took over as general manager as Lynn Patrick retired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Expansion and the Big Bad Bruins (1967–1979)

Weston Adams took back ownership the Bruins in 1964 after Brown's death.<ref name="Bruins_HOF"/> Adams signed future superstar defenseman Bobby Orr, who entered the league in 1966. Orr was that season's winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year and named to the second NHL All-Star Team.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Despite Orr's stellar rookie season, the Bruins would miss the playoffs.

The next season, Boston made the playoffs for the first of 29 consecutive seasons, an all-time record. The Bruins then obtained forwards Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield from Chicago in a deal celebrated as one of the most one-sided in hockey history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Esposito, who centered a line with Hodge and Wayne Cashman, became the league's top goal scorer and the first NHL player to break the 100-point mark.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> With other stars like forwards Bucyk, John McKenzie, Derek Sanderson, and Hodge, defenders like Dallas Smith and goaltender Gerry Cheevers, the "Big Bad Bruins" became one of the league's top teams from the late 1960s into the 1980s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1970, a 29-year Stanley Cup drought came to an end in Boston as the Bruins defeated the St. Louis Blues in four games in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final. Orr scored the game-winning goal in overtime to clinch the Stanley Cup. The same season was Orr's most awarded; he won his third of eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the top defenseman in the NHL, the Art Ross Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the Hart Memorial Trophy, the only player to win those four awards in the same season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

While head coach Harry Sinden temporarily retired from ice hockey before the 1970–71 season to enter business (he was replaced by ex-Bruins and Canadiens defenseman Tom Johnson),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> the Bruins continued to dominate the league. They had seven of the league's top ten scorers (a feat not achieved before or since), set the record for wins in a season, and in a league that had never seen a 100-point scorer before the 1968–69 season, the Bruins had four that year. All four (Orr, Esposito, Bucyk and Hodge) were named First Team All-Stars. Boston was favored to repeat as Cup champions but lost to the Ken Dryden-led Canadiens in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

While the Bruins were not quite as dominant the next season, Esposito and Orr finished first and second in the scoring standings and Boston regained the Stanley Cup by defeating the New York Rangers in six games in the 1972 Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The 1972–73 season saw upheaval for the Bruins. Former head coach Sinden became the general manager.<ref name="Sinden_GM">Template:Cite news</ref> Bruins players Gerry Cheevers, Derek Sanderson,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Johnny McKenzie,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Ted Green left to join the World Hockey Association (WHA).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Coach Tom Johnson was fired 52 games into the season, replaced by Bep Guidolin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Adams family, which had owned the team since its founding in the 1920s, sold it to Storer Broadcasting.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins' season came to a premature end in a first-round loss to the Rangers in the 1973 playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1974, the Bruins regained their first-place standing in the regular season, along with another 100-point season from Orr, his fifth consecutive.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> However, they lost the 1974 Stanley Cup Final in an upset to the Philadelphia Flyers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Terry O'Reilly was drafted by the Bruins 14th overall in the 1971 draft. He played his entire career with the Bruins from 1971 to 1985.

Don Cherry stepped behind the bench as the new coach in 1974–75.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins stocked themselves with enforcers and grinders, and remained competitive under Cherry's reign, the so-called "Lunch Pail A.C"., behind players such as Gregg Sheppard, Terry O'Reilly, Stan Jonathan and Peter McNab.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Bruins placed second in the Adams Division, and lost to the Chicago Black Hawks in the first round of the 1975 playoffs, losing a best-of-three series, two games to one.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Prior to the 1975–76 season, Sportsystem Corporation, composed of current owner Jeremy Jacobs and his two brothers, purchased the Bruins.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Continuing with Sinden's rebuilding of the team, the Bruins traded Esposito and Carol Vadnais to the Rangers for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, and Joe Zanussi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins made the semifinals again, but lost to the Flyers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Orr left as a free agent to Chicago in the offseason.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Before the 1976–77 season, the Bruins completed another trade with the Rangers acquiring Rick Middleton for Hodge.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Later in the season, Cheevers returned,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Bruins defeated the Flyers in the semifinals,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but were swept by the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The story repeated itself in 1978—with a balanced attack that saw Boston have 11 players with 20+ goal seasons, still the NHL record—as the Bruins made the Cup Final once more, but lost in six games to Montreal.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> After that series, John Bucyk retired, holding virtually every Bruins' career longevity and scoring mark to that time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The 1979 semifinals series against the Canadiens proved to be Cherry's undoing. In the deciding seventh game, the Bruins, up by a goal, were called for having too many men on the ice in the late stages of the third period. Montreal tied the game on the ensuing power play and won in overtime. Cherry was dismissed as head coach thereafter.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ray Bourque era (1979–2000)

The 1979–80 season saw a new head coach Fred Creighton,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and also included a trade of goaltender Ron Grahame to the Los Angeles Kings for a first-round pick which was used to select Ray Bourque, one of the greatest defensemen of all-time and the face of the Bruins for over two decades.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During this season, an incident between forward Mike Milbury and a fan at a New York Rangers game occurred when Milbury along with other Bruins players entered the stands to engage some of the fans. During the fray, Milbury managed to take off the shoe of a fan and slap him with the heel-end. The incident became known as the Shoe Incident.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Creighton was fired with only 15 days remaining in the season due to poor chemistry with general manager Harry Sinden.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Sinden hired former goaltender Gerry Cheevers as the next head coach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They had the league's best record in 1982–83 behind a Vezina Trophy-winning season from ex-Flyers goaltender Pete Peeters,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> but fell short of making the Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ray Bourque, shown in 1981 and before switching to his familiar no. 77, led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in Template:Scfy and Template:Scfy.

Following a slow start to the 1986–87 season, Sinden fired head coach Butch Goring and replaced him with Terry O'Reilly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 1987 NHL entry draft, the Bruins made a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, moving Barry Pederson for right wing Cam Neely.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March 1988, the Bruins acquired the rights to Andy Moog from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Geoff Courtnall, Bill Ranford, and future considerations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bourque and Neely led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in Template:Scfy against the Edmonton Oilers, but Boston lost in a four-game sweep.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Throughout the 1980s, the Bruins often matched up with the Canadiens in either the division semifinals or division finals, with Montreal defeating them five of the six series.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 1987–88 season, the Bruins defeated their nemesis Canadiens in the playoffs en route to their 1988 Stanley Cup Final appearance. It was their first playoff series victory over the Canadiens since 1943, breaking 18 consecutive losses to them.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the 1988–89 season, O'Reilly resigned as head coach to care for his son.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Milbury became the head coach soon after.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Under Milbury, and with the play of Neely, Bourque, Craig Janney, Bobby Carpenter, rookie Don Sweeney, and goaltender Andy Moog, Boston returned to the Stanley Cup Final in Template:Scfy, but again lost to the Oilers, this time in five games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following Boston's loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1991 Wales of Conference final, Milbury resigned as head coach, staying with the team as assistant GM. His replacement, Rick Bowness only coached one season, taking the Bruins to the conference final for the second consecutive season against the Penguins, before his firing after the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the 1991–92 season, the Bruins acquired Adam Oates in a trade with the Blues for Craig Janney.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Brian Sutter was hired as the head coach going into the 1992–93 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which also saw Oates score 142 points.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite finishing with the second-best regular season record after Pittsburgh, Boston was swept in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres—Boston had won all five previous playoff series against Buffalo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The league realigned into different divisions heading into the 1993–94 NHL season; the Bruins were placed into the Northeast Division.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 1994 playoffs, the Bruins were defeated by the New Jersey Devils in the conference semifinals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The 1994–95 season was the Bruins' last at the Boston Garden. The final official match played in the Garden was a 3–2 loss to the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 playoffs;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the Bruins went on to play the final game at the old arena on September 26, 1995, in an exhibition matchup against the Canadiens.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They subsequently moved into the FleetCenter, now known as the TD Garden.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prior to the 1995–96 Boston Bruins season, Sutter was fired and replaced by Steve Kasper.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ranford was traded back to the Bruins in the 1995–96 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but in the 1996 playoffs, the Bruins lost their first-round series to the Florida Panthers in five games.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The team did not fare well in the 1996–97 season as they fell to last place in the NHL and Boston missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 years (and for the first time in the expansion era), which set the North American major professional record for most consecutive seasons in the playoffs. With the frustration of the season, Oates said of upper management, "The guys upstairs aren't doing their jobs.... We’re not good enough." During the season, they also traded Oates, Ranford, and Rick Tocchet for Jason Allison, Jim Carey, Anson Carter, and two draft picks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Head coach Kasper was fired after the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins selected Joe Thornton with the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL entry draft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pat Burns was hired as head coach in the offseason.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He won the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year in the 1997–98 season.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> However, the Bruins lost in the first round of the 1998 playoffs to the Washington Capitals in six games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 1999 playoffs, the Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in six games during the first round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, they lost to the Sabres in six games in the second round of the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The new millennium (2000–2015)

In the 1999–2000 season, the Bruins finished in last place in the Northeast Division and failed to qualify for the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During a game between the Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks on February 21, 2000, Marty McSorley was ejected for using his stick to hit Canucks forward Donald Brashear in the head, and subsequently suspended for what resulted in the rest of his career. McSorley was later charged and convicted for assault and sentenced to 18 months probation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bourque requested a trade to a playoff contender and on March 6, 2000, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Although the team started the 2000–01 season 3–0–1, after losing four consecutive games, the Bruins fired coach Pat Burns in favor of Mike Keenan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following Keenan's hiring, Sinden stepped down as general manager, opting to stay as team president. Mike O'Connell took over as general manager.<ref name="Sinden_GM"/> Despite a 15-point improvement over the previous season, they did not make the playoffs and Keenan was let go.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Robbie Ftorek was hired as the head coach prior to the start of the 2001–02 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins won their first Northeast Division title since 1993.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They lost in six games to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Joe Thornton was made team captain prior to the 2002–03 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the regular season, he led the team in scoring with 101 points.<ref name="HL">Template:Cite news</ref> Head coach Ftorek was fired with nine games remaining in the season and general manager Mike O'Connell took over in interim and into the playoffs,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils in five games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mike Sullivan made his head coaching debut for the upcoming 2003–04 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 2003 NHL entry draft, the Bruins drafted Patrice Bergeron; he made his debut on October 7, 2003.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins won another division title in 2004 and gained a 3–1 series lead on the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. However, the Canadiens rallied back to win three consecutive games, upsetting the Bruins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Bruins acquired Zdeno Chara on July 1, 2006, naming him the new team captain.

Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout,<ref name="04-05_lockout">Template:Cite magazine</ref> the team drafted David Krejci at the 2004 draft.<ref name="Krejci">Template:Cite web</ref> On November 30, 2005, the Bruins traded Thornton to the San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau, and Brad Stuart.<ref name="HL"/> However, the Bruins struggled to stay consistent throughout the season and with very few transactions to make the team better, Mike O'Connell was fired. Assistant general manager Jeff Gorton took over as interim GM.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The 2006–07 offseason came with significant front office shake up as Peter Chiarelli was hired as the new general manager of the team on May 26, 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Head coach Mike Sullivan was fired and Dave Lewis,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> former coach of the Detroit Red Wings, was hired to replace him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sinden, who was team president, resigned on August 9 to become advisor to the owner.<ref name="Sinden">Template:Cite news</ref> At the entry draft, the Bruins selected with the fifth overall pick, Phil Kessel.<ref name="Kessel">Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins signed defenseman Zdeno Chara and center Marc Savard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Boston also traded Andrew Raycroft for goalie prospect Tuukka Rask.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 2006–07 season ended with the team finishing in last place in the division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the offseason, Lewis was fired as coach and replaced by Claude Julien.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2007–08 campaign saw the NHL debut of Milan Lucic as well as the Bruins finishing 41–29–12 and making the playoffs,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Lucic">Template:Cite web</ref> but at the cost of Bergeron missing most of the season with a concussion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins faced off against their rival Canadiens in another first round matchup. Although the Bruins came back from a 3–1 series deficit to tie the series, they were shut out in game seven by Montreal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

After a slow start to the 2008–09 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the Bruins went on to have the best record in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in nine years. At the trade deadline, they acquired Mark Recchi from the Tampa Bay Lightning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They faced the Canadiens in the playoffs for the fourth time during that span, defeating Montreal in four games before losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference semifinals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Goaltender Tim Thomas won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Julien was also awarded the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Prior to the start of the 2009–10 season, Kessel was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2010 and 2011 first round draft pick along with a 2010 second round draft pick.<ref name="Kessel"/> On January 1, 2010, the Bruins won the 2010 Winter Classic over the Philadelphia Flyers in a 2–1 overtime decision at Fenway Park, thus becoming the first home team to win an outdoor classic game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the playoffs, they faced off against the Buffalo Sabres in the conference quarterfinals and emerged victorious in six games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the conference semifinals, they gained a 3–0 series lead over the Philadelphia Flyers. However, they lost the next three games and were forced into game seven.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They had a 3–0 lead in the game, but the Flyers came back in the game to defeat the Bruins for Boston to become the third team in NHL history to give up a 3–0 series lead.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Milan Lucic with the Stanley Cup after the Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in game seven of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.

Due to the Kessel trade and Toronto's poor performance in the 2009–10 season, the Bruins were able to use Toronto's pick at select second overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft. They used the pick to select Tyler Seguin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in seven games in the conference quarterfinals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On May 6, the Bruins swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 1992.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Boston then defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since Template:Scfy to face the Vancouver Canucks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the Final, the home team won each game with Boston dominating their home games against the Canucks, until game seven which they won in Vancouver 4–0 to win their sixth Stanley Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs setting an NHL record with 798 saves made across the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thomas also led the league in save percentage with .938, eclipsing Dominik Hasek's record of .937, which earned him his second Vezina Trophy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following their Stanley Cup win, Mark Recchi retired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 2012 NHL entry draft, the Bruins used the other first round pick in the Kessell trade to select defenseman Dougie Hamilton.<ref name="Kessel"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins went on to finish second in the Eastern Conference with 102 points,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> winning the Northeast Division title,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but losing to the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Bruins were the 2013 Eastern Conference champions, their second Conference title in three years.

During the offseason preceding the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Tim Thomas made his decision to sit out the 2012–13 season;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> his rights were traded to the New York Islanders on February 7, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the Boston Marathon bombing, the game they had on the next day (April 16, 2013) was postponed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On April 17, the Bruins faced off against the Sabres, Boston's first major sporting event since the bombing. At the end of the game both the Sabres players and Bruins players raised their sticks in a salute.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the opening round of the 2013 playoffs, the Bruins took on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although the Maple Leafs forced game seven after the Bruins were up 3–1 in the series, Boston defeated Toronto by coming back from a 4–1 deficit in the third period of the game to win in overtime.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They went on to beat the New York Rangers in five games and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a four-game sweep to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the Chicago Blackhawks were victorious in the Final, defeating the Bruins in six games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On July 4, 2013, the Bruins completed a blockbuster trade, sending Tyler Seguin along with Rich Peverley and a prospect to the Dallas Stars for Loui Eriksson and three prospects. Amidst the trade, general manager Chiarelli said Seguin needed to "become more of a professional."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 2013–14 season, the Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy after finishing first in the newly formed Atlantic Division with a record of 54–19–9 for 117 points.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, their regular season success would not translate into another conference finals appearance. Despite winning their first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the team fell to the Canadiens in seven games in the second round during the 2014 playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 2014–15 season, the Bruins finished with a record of 41–27–14 for 96 points, missing out on the playoffs by just two points. The Bruins became only the third team to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents' Trophy in the previous season. The 96 points they earned that season broke the record for the most points earned by a team that did not make the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Don Sweeney era (2015–present)

On April 15, 2015, Peter Chiarelli was fired by the Boston Bruins. On May 20, the Bruins named former player Don Sweeney as the team's new general manager for the 2015–16 season.<ref name="Sweeney">Template:Cite web</ref> Part of Sweeney's offseason moves included trading Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for goalie Martin Jones, forward Colin Miller, and a 2015 first round draft pick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins would flip Jones to the San Jose Sharks four days later for Sean Kuraly and a 2016 first round pick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins played in the 2016 NHL Winter Classic against the Canadiens, but lost 5–1.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> One all-time franchise achievement the Bruins attained in the 2015–16 season is shared by only their greatest rival, the Canadiens – a total of 3,000 wins in the team's existence, achieved by the Bruins on January 8, 2016, in a 4–1 road victory against the New Jersey Devils.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For the first time since the two seasons following the 2004–05 lockout, the Bruins did not qualify for the playoffs in two consecutive seasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Charlie McAvoy and other players warming up prior to a game in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2014.

During the last two months of the 2016–17 regular season, the Bruins fired head coach Claude Julien and promoted Bruce Cassidy to interim coach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Under Cassidy, the Bruins achieved an 18–8–1 record through their remaining regular season games, finishing third in the Atlantic Division and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since the 2013–14 season. In the first round of the playoffs, the Bruins lost to the Ottawa Senators in six games.<ref name="Cassidy">Template:Cite web</ref>

Cassidy returned as head coach for the 2017–18 season, leading the Bruins to the playoffs for a consecutive season.<ref name="Cassidy"/> They had a record of 50–20–12,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including an 18-game point streak, which lasted from December 14, 2017, to January 25, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round in seven games,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but lost to the Lightning in five games in the second round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The season also saw the debuts of Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins also acquired veteran Rick Nash trading out Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, Ryan Lindgren, and two draft picks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2018–19 season the Bruins finished the regular season in second place in the division with a 49–24–9 overall record.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the trade deadline, the team acquired Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, they faced the Maple Leafs again, defeating them in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a six-game series, the Bruins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins won the conference finals by sweeping out the Carolina Hurricanes in four games, thus winning the Prince of Wales Trophy and advancing to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final for the third time in 10 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They faced the St. Louis Blues in a rematch of the 1970 Stanley Cup Final. However, this time the Blues emerged victorious, winning in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2019–20 season, the Bruins consistently had the best record in the Atlantic Division and were near the top of the league. During the trade deadline, they acquired Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie, both from the Anaheim Ducks, in two separate trades.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 12, 2020, the NHL season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the time of the pause, the Bruins were first overall in the league, with 100 points. On May 26, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the 2019–20 regular season was completed and that the league would resume with the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bruins were awarded the Presidents' Trophy for the second time in a decade, while David Pastrnak's 48 goals made him the first Bruin to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, which he shared with Alexander Ovechkin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins won the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes in five games,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round, also in five games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Prior to the beginning of the 2020–21 season, Zdeno Chara left as a free agent, signing with the Washington Capitals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Patrice Bergeron was named captain shortly afterwards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As they neared the trade deadline, the Bruins made a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins made the 2021 playoffs, where they defeated the Capitals in five games but lost to the New York Islanders in six games. In the 2021–22 offseason, goaltender Tuukka Rask underwent hip surgery as a free agent.<ref name="Rask_retires">Template:Cite web</ref> To offset the goaltender loss, they signed free agent Linus Ullmark.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, after signing a one-year deal in January 2022, Rask retired in February.<ref name="Rask_retires"/> The Bruins clinched the 2022 playoffs as the first wild card team but were defeated by the Hurricanes in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the season, head coach Cassidy was fired.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They then hired Jim Montgomery, previously the head coach of the Dallas Stars, as their next head coach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2022–23 season, the Bruins broke NHL records and led the Atlantic Division for the entire season. First, they set an NHL record for longest home winning streak from the start of a season (14) from October 15 to December 3.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Then on March 2, 2023, the Bruins recorded their 100th standings point of the season in their 61st game, becoming the fastest team to 100 points in NHL history, and surpassing the record previously held by the 1976–77 Montreal Canadiens.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nine days later, they set an all-time NHL record as the fastest team to achieve 50 wins, hitting the mark in 64 games compared to a previous record of 66 games held jointly by the 1995–96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018–19 Tampa Bay Lightning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In that same game, the Bruins became the third-fastest team in history to clinch a playoff spot during the era of 82-game seasons, trailing only the 1995–96 Detroit Red Wings (59 games) and the 1998–99 Dallas Stars (63 games).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On April 9, 2023, the Bruins set the new all-time record for most games won in a season (63), when they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers. Two days later, the Bruins set the new all-time single-season points record (133), when they defeated the Capitals, and they finished the season with 65 wins and 135 points.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bruins lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games in the opening round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs after giving up a 3–1 series lead.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hall was traded after the season,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

With Brad Marchand as captain for the 2023–24 season,<ref name="_27">Template:Cite web</ref> the Bruins finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with 109 points.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lucic also returned to the team on a one-year contract.<ref name="Lucic"/> However, after an injury to his ankle placed him on long-term injured reserve, and an ensuing domestic assault charge,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he played no more than four games in the season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the first round of the 2024 playoffs, the Bruins eliminated their rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in seven games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the second round, they were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers again, this time in six games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 2024–25 season, the Bruins fired Jim Montgomery amidst a slow start and named Joe Sacco as interim head coach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They would trade captain Marchand to the Panthers for a first round pick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They finished in last place in both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ahead of the 2025–26 season, the Bruins replaced Joe Sacco with Marco Sturm, making him the 30th head coach in Boston Bruins history.<ref name=":2"/>

Team information

Logo and uniforms

The original version of the "Spoked B" logo.

Since 1948, the Bruins' logo is an eight-spoked, black and gold wheel with the letter "B" in the center, a nod to Boston's nickname of "The Hub".<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref name="SpokedB">Template:Cite web</ref> The logo has been tweaked numerous times over the course of its history, reaching its current form in 2025. The general design, in use since 1949, features the circle and "B" in black with gold spokes; black borders and a gold outer circle were added in 1995 and serifs on the "B" were added in 2007. The black borders were removed as part of a logo update in 2025, and a corresponding gold "B" version was added for use in dark backgrounds.<ref name=2025Bruinslogo/> The block "B" logo itself preceded the "Spoked B" and was later modified to include serifs as part of their third jersey.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsThirds">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Bruins have also used an alternate logo featuring a walking bear surrounded by the full team name. The logo was first used from 1924 to 1932, and a modernized version was adopted as the team's secondary logo in 2007.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/> This was then updated in 2025 to feature only the bear itself, with the team name variation used on the black uniform, and the city name variation on the white uniform.<ref name=Bruins2025/>

The Bruins' colors were originally brown and gold. They wore brown uniforms in their maiden season, but switched to a white uniform with alternating brown and gold stripes the next season. The uniforms were paired with beige pants and either gold or white socks. After the 1932 season the walking bear logo was replaced with a simple block "B" logo.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics">Template:Cite web</ref>

Starting with the 1935–36 season, the Bruins replaced brown with black, while also sporting gold socks full-time. The "B" logo moved to the sleeves while the uniform number occupied the front. Black pants also replaced the beige pants.<ref name="BruinsGraphics"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

For a majority of the 1940s, the Bruins sported gold numbers on the white uniform. From 1940 to 1944 they also wore a gold uniform with a script "Bruins" wordmark in front. To commemorate their 25th anniversary, the Bruins released a new white uniform featuring the first iteration of the "Spoked B" logo. The gold "B" on the logo was crudely drawn inside a black-spoked wheel, with "24" and "49" added to represent the foundation year and the franchise's 25th year respectively. They also debuted a black uniform with the block "B" logo in front.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

Beginning in 1949, the "B" on the "Spoked B" logo was changed to block lettering. They also brought back the black numbers. With a few cosmetic changes in the stripes and yoke along with the addition of the primitive bear head logo in 1977, the Bruins kept this overall design until 1995.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

In 1955, the Bruins brought the "Spoked B" logo over to the black uniform; they also released a gold jersey with the "Spoked B" in front. The black uniform crest would feature an inverse version of the "Spoked B", with the gold and black elements reversed, while the gold uniform featured the same logo but in a black circle. During this period, the gold jersey was used as the primary dark uniform while relegating the black uniform (updated with white numbers) into alternate status for several seasons. Also, for a few games between 1958 and 1965, the Bruins wore gold pants.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

In 1967, the Bruins retired the gold uniforms and reinstated the black uniforms with gold numbers. As with the white uniforms, they endured several cosmetic changes until 1995. The gold socks, which had numerous striping modifications since 1934, was briefly retired in favor of wearing white socks full-time. It was brought back for the 1969–70 season and would be paired with the regular black uniforms for the next 47 seasons.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

Starting with the 1995–96 season, the Bruins released a new uniform set, featuring the updated "Spoked B" logo. The primary uniforms featured a thick contrasting stripe that extended from sleeve to sleeve. In addition, a gold third jersey was released, featuring the infamous "Pooh Bear" logo (an homage to Winnie the Pooh). The gold thirds were used until 2006, after which the Bruins wore throwback black uniforms based on the 1970s design.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

The version of the "Spoked B" logo used from 2007 to 2025.

Moving to the Reebok Edge template in 2007, the Bruins unveiled new uniforms with the serifed "Spoked B" logo. The overall design borrowed a few elements from the 1970s uniforms, and also unveiled a new rendition of the original walking bear logo on the shoulders. The following season, they released new black third jerseys with the aforementioned bear logo in front and the "Spoked B" logo on the shoulders.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

Several Boston Bruins wearing their 2010 Winter Classic jerseys.

For the 2010 Winter Classic, the Bruins wore a brown and gold variation of the 1948–49 design. Then for the 2016 Winter Classic, the Bruins wore a black and gold variation of the original brown uniforms, a design they carried over the following season as an alternate.<ref name="BruinsUniforms"/>

The Bruins kept much of the same design upon moving to Adidas' AdiZero template in 2017. However, the black uniforms were now paired with black socks, a feature previously reserved on the alternate black uniforms.<ref name="BruinsAdidas">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="BruinsGraphics"/>

For the 2019 Winter Classic, the Bruins wore white uniforms with brown and gold stripes and the "B" logo in front, paying homage to the mid-1930s uniforms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The simple "B" logo also adorned their new black alternate uniform, which was unveiled in the 2019–20 season and paid homage to the team's 1950s uniforms.<ref name="BruinsThirds"/>

Prior to the 2020–21 season, Adidas released its "Reverse Retro" series of alternate uniforms, which were alternate color renditions of throwback uniform designs. The Bruins' version was taken from the team's 1977 to 1995 design, but with a gold base and black accents.<ref name="BruinsReverse">Template:Cite web</ref> A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was released in the 2022–23 season, this time featuring a white version of the 1995–2006 "Pooh Bear" alternates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Boston's 2023 Winter Classic uniform mixed various styles from the team's uniform history. The black-based uniform featured gold stripes and vintage white letters. The "BOSTON" wordmark was inspired by the 1949 "Spoked B" logo, and the original bear head logo from 1977 to 1995 was positioned below.<ref name=2023WC>Template:Cite news</ref>

For the 2023–24 centennial season, the Bruins unveiled a new set of uniforms, along with a commemorative logo featuring the modern "Spoked B" logo minus the gold outer circle and black borders on the spokes and "B", closely resembling the original design worn from 1949 to 1995. The white uniform would feature the aforementioned logo, while the black uniform would feature an inverted version, with the "B" and circle in gold with black spokes. The gold used on the primary uniforms is a paler shade called "Centennial gold" rather than the traditional yellow gold; the yellow gold version remained in use for promotional purposes. In addition, the three gold stripes on each sleeve represented the six Stanley Cups the team has won, which are accented with thin black and thick white stripes. White numbers returned to the black uniform for the first time since the early 1960s and names featured no additional trim. An alternate beige uniform was also released. This design featured a modern take on the first "Spoked B" logo worn during the 1948–49 25th anniversary season, modified to include the foundation year "1924" along the horizontal spoke. The uniform heavily borrowed elements from the 1967–1974 uniforms which featured a gold yoke, but with brown and white trim. The brown-accented alternates were worn in all home games against Original Six teams, and a road game each at the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens.<ref name=Bruins100>Template:Cite news</ref>

In a December 1, 2024, game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins wore a commemorative uniform to honor the 100th anniversary of the franchise's first-ever game. The design featured the modernized version of the 1949–1995 "spoked B" logo worn during the centennial 2023–24 season but in the current yellow gold shade, and an inverted color version of the centennial "walking bear" patch along the right chest. The uniform was heavily based on the 1981–1995 uniforms, albeit with black tips on the gold socks. The collar featured the score of the team's first-ever game against the Montreal Maroons.<ref name=Bruins1002>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2025, the team announced a logo change to take effect with the 2025–26 season – the centennial "Spoked B" logo as the team's primary logo, with the black "B" version applied to the white uniform and the gold "B" version applied to the black uniform.<ref name=2025Bruinslogo>Template:Cite news</ref> The new uniforms were heavily inspired by the 1977–1995 uniforms, and featured an updated "walking bear" patch on the left shoulder. This bear patch featured the team name on the black uniform, and the city name on the white uniform.<ref name=Bruins2025>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Training facilities

The Bruins had trained at Ristuccia Ice Arena in Wilmington, Massachusetts, which was completed in 1986.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They moved in September 2016 to Warrior Ice Arena in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, where they are currently training.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bruins' mascots

Blades the Bruin serves as the official mascot for the Boston Bruins.

Blades the Bruin is an anthropomorphic bear serves as the Bruins' team mascot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Team songs

When Boston television station WSBK-TV began broadcasting Bruins games in 1967, The Ventures' instrumental rock version of the Nutcracker's overture, known as "Nutty", was selected as the opening piece of music for Bruins telecasts.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

On ice, "Paree", a 1920s hit tune written by Leo Robin and Jose Padilla, has been played as an organ instrumental for decades, typically as the players entered the arena just before the start of each period and, for many years, after each Bruins' goal. It was introduced by John Kiley, the organist for the Bruins from the 1950s through the 1980s.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Season-by-season record

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Bruins. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Boston Bruins seasons

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
2020–21 56 33 16 7 73 168 136 3rd, East Lost in second round, 2–4 (Islanders)
2021–22 82 51 26 5 107 255 220 4th, Atlantic Lost in first round, 3–4 (Hurricanes)
2022–23 82 65 12 5 135 305 177 1st, Atlantic Lost in first round, 3–4 (Panthers)
2023–24 82 47 20 15 109 267 224 2nd, Atlantic Lost in second round, 2–4 (Panthers)
2024–25 82 33 39 10 76 222 272 8th, Atlantic Did not qualify

Players and personnel

Current roster

Template:Boston Bruins roster

Team captains

Reference:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

There is evidence from contemporary newspaper accounts and photographs that Bruins manager Art Ross appointed captains on an annual basis in the 1930s and 1940s, and generally for a single season only.<ref name="auto2">Template:Cite news</ref> These include Marty Barry in 1933–34,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nels Stewart in 1934–35,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Eddie Shore in 1935–36,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Red Beattie in 1936–37, Bill Cowley in 1944–45<ref name="smith2014">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and Bobby Bauer in 1946–47.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Having not acknowledged these captaincies for many years and declining comment on the issue,<ref name="smith2014" /> on September 20, 2023, the team confirmed these captaincies, stating there have been 27 captains in franchise history.<ref name="_27"/>

Head coaches

Template:Further On June 5, 2025, the Bruins announced the hiring of Marco Sturm as the 30th head coach in team history.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> Sturm played for the Bruins from 2005 to 2010, and became the first European head coach for the team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

General managers

Template:Further Following the team's failure to make the 2015 playoffs, Peter Chiarelli was fired as general manager on April 15, 2015, with Don Sweeney hired as Chiarelli's replacement on May 20, 2015.<ref name="Sweeney"/>

Presidents

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Ownership

The team founder Charles Adams owned the team until 1936, at which point he transferred ownership to his son Weston Adams.<ref name="Bruins_HOF"/> Weston Adams remained majority owner until 1951, when the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation purchased controlling interest in the team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Under the Garden-Arena Corporation's management, Boston Celtics founder Walter A. Brown ran the team from 1951 until his death in 1964. After Brown's death, Weston Adams returned to the role of team president. In 1969, he was succeeded by his son, Weston Adams, Jr.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:JeremyJacobs.jpg
Former Bruins winger and current president Cam Neely, and owner Jeremy Jacobs.

On December 7, 1973, Storer Broadcasting, owner of WSBK-TV, and the Garden-Arena Corporation agreed to a merger which resulted in Storer acquiring a 100% interest in the Bruins. Adams remained as team president.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 1975, Storer Broadcasting then sold the team to an ownership group headed by Jeremy Jacobs. Jacobs had to promise to keep Bobby Orr as a condition of the purchase.Template:Sfn The Bruins and Orr reached a verbal agreement with Jacobs during the summer of 1975, including a controversial agreement for Orr to take an 18.5% share of the Bruins after his playing days were over. The agreement was to be checked out as to whether it would be legal for tax reasons and whether or not the league would approve it. However, Orr's agent, Alan Eagleson, rejected the deal.Template:Sfn

Jacobs represents the club on the NHL's board of governors, and serves on its executive committee, and he has chaired the finance committee. At the NHL board of governors meeting in June 2007, Jacobs was elected chairman of the board, replacing the Calgary Flames' Harley Hotchkiss, who stepped down after 12 years in the position.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Jacobs has frequently been listed by the Sports Business Journal as one of the most influential people in sports in its annual poll and by The Hockey News.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His company owns TD Garden and he is partners with John Henry, owner of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, in the New England Sports Network (NESN).

After taking over as owner in 1975, the Bruins have been competitive (making the playoffs for 29 consecutive seasons from 1967–68 to 1995–96, 20 of which were with Jacobs as owner) but have won the Stanley Cup only once, in Template:Scfy and only in his 36th year as owner. Under previous ownerships, the Bruins had won the Stanley Cup five times. Under Jacobs, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final seven times (twice against the Bruins' arch-rival Montreal Canadiens in Template:Scfy and Template:Scfy, twice against the Edmonton Oilers in Template:Scfy and Template:Scfy, finally winning in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks, and losing in Template:Scfy and Template:Scfy to the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues respectively). Jacobs' management of the team in the past earned him spots on ESPN.com's "Page 2" polls of "The Worst Owners in Sports",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and number 7 on their 2005 "Greediest Owners in sports" list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sports Illustrated suggested longtime star defenseman Ray Bourque, who had "often drawn the ire of the NHLPA for his willingness to re-sign with Boston with minimal negotiations over the years" instead of setting the "watermark for defenseman salaries", requested and received a trade in 2000 since the team's "hardline and spendthrift ways" meant he would have to make the move to get his elusive Stanley Cup (Bourque holds the record for most games played before winning the Cup).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prior to the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2005, fans felt team management was not willing to spend to win the Stanley Cup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The current administrators in the Bruins front office are: Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

First-round draft picks

Template:See also Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Team and league honors

Retired numbers

Banners of the Bruins' retired numbers hang at the Garden.
Boston Bruins retired numbers
No. Player Position Career No. retirement
2 Eddie Shore D 1926–1940 January 1, 1947<ref name="Retired_nums">Template:Cite web</ref>
3 Lionel Hitchman 1 D 1925–1934 February 22, 1934<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
4 Bobby Orr D 1966–1976 January 9, 1979<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
5 Aubrey "Dit" Clapper RW, D 1927–1947 February 12, 1947<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
7 Phil Esposito C 1967–1975 December 3, 1987<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
8 Cam Neely RW 1986–1996 January 12, 2004<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
9 Johnny Bucyk LW 1957–1978 March 13, 1980<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
15 Milt Schmidt C 1936–1955 March 13, 1980<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
16 Rick Middleton RW 1976–1988 November 29, 2018<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
22 Willie O'Ree LW 1957–1958, 1960–1961 January 18, 2022<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
24 Terry O'Reilly RW 1972–1985 October 24, 2002<ref name="Retired_nums"/>
77 Ray Bourque D 1979–2000 October 4, 2001<ref name="Retired_nums"/>

Notes:

Hall of Famers

The Boston Bruins acknowledge an affiliation with 58 inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame: 52 former players and six builders of the sport.<ref name=HHOF>Template:Cite news</ref> The six individuals recognized as builders by the Hall of Fame includes former Bruins executives, general managers, head coaches, and owners. In addition to players and builders, two broadcasters for the Bruins were also awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1984, Fred Cusick, a play-by-play announcer, was awarded the Hall of Fame's inaugural Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. In 1987, Bob Wilson became the second Bruins' broadcaster to be awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.

Players

Template:Columns-list

Builders

Template:Columns-list

Franchise leaders

All-time regular season scoring leaders

These are the top-ten regular season point-scorers in franchise history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break

Points
Player Pos GP G A Pts P/G
Ray Bourque D 1,518 395 1,111 1,506 .99
Johnny Bucyk LW 1,436 545 794 1,339 .93
Patrice Bergeron C 1,294 427 613 1,040 .80
Phil Esposito C 625 459 553 1,012 1.62
Brad Marchand LW 1,090 422 554 976 .90
Rick Middleton RW 881 402 496 898 1.02
Bobby Orr D 631 264 624 888 1.41
David Pastrnak* RW 756 391 442 833 1.10
Wayne Cashman LW 1,027 277 516 793 .77
David Krejci C 1,032 231 555 786 .76

Template:Col-break

Goals
Player Pos G
Johnny Bucyk LW 545
Phil Esposito C 459
Patrice Bergeron C 427
Brad Marchand LW 422
Rick Middleton RW 402
Ray Bourque D 395
David Pastrnak* RW 391
Cam Neely RW 344
Ken Hodge RW 289
Wayne Cashman LW 277

Template:Col-break

Assists
Player Pos A
Ray Bourque D 1,111
Johnny Bucyk LW 794
Bobby Orr D 624
Patrice Bergeron C 613
David Krejci C 555
Brad Marchand LW 554
Phil Esposito C 553
Wayne Cashman LW 516
Rick Middleton RW 496
David Pastrnak* RW 442

Template:Col-end

All-time playoff scoring leaders

These are the top-ten playoff point-scorers in franchise history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break

Points
Player Pos GP G A Pts P/G
Ray Bourque D 180 36 125 161 .89
Brad Marchand LW 157 56 82 138 .88
Patrice Bergeron C 170 50 78 128 .75
David Krejci C 160 43 85 128 .80
Phil Esposito C 71 46 56 102 1.44
Rick Middleton RW 111 45 55 100 .90
Johnny Bucyk LW 109 40 60 100 .92
Bobby Orr D 74 26 66 92 1.24
Wayne Cashman LW 145 31 57 88 .61
Cam Neely RW 86 55 32 87 1.01

Template:Col-break

Goals
Player Pos G
Brad Marchand LW 56
Cam Neely RW 55
Patrice Bergeron C 50
Phil Esposito C 46
Rick Middleton RW 45
David Krejci C 43
Johnny Bucyk LW 40
David Pastrnak* RW 39
Peter McNab C 38
Ray Bourque D 36

Template:Col-break

Assists
Player Pos A
Ray Bourque D 125
David Krejci C 85
Brad Marchand LW 82
Patrice Bergeron C 78
Bobby Orr D 66
Johnny Bucyk LW 60
Wayne Cashman LW 57
Phil Esposito C 56
Craig Janney C 56
Brad Park D 55

Template:Col-end

All-time leading goaltenders

These goaltenders rank in the top ten in franchise history for wins as of the end of the 2024–25 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Figures are updated after each completed NHL season.

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OT = Overtime losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break

Regular season
Player GP W L T OT SO GAA SV%
Tuukka Rask 564 308 165 Template:Sortdash Template:Sort 52 2.28 .921
Tiny Thompson 468 252 153 63 Template:Sortdash 74 1.99 Template:Sortdash
Frank Brimsek 444 230 144 70 Template:Sortdash 35 2.57 Template:Sortdash
Gerry Cheevers 416 226 103 76 Template:Sortdash 26 2.89 .901
Tim Thomas 378 196 121 Template:Sortdash Template:Sort 31 2.48 .921
Eddie Johnston 444 182 192 54 Template:Sortdash 27 3.22 .900
Gilles Gilbert 277 155 73 39 Template:Sortdash 16 2.95 .890
Andy Moog 261 136 75 36 Template:Sortdash 13 3.08 .886
Byron Dafoe 283 132 104 40 Template:Sortdash 25 2.30 .911
Jeremy Swayman* 190 101 62 Template:Sortdash 22 16 2.58 .910

Template:Col-break

Playoffs
Player GP W L SO GAA SV%
Tuukka Rask 104 57 46 7 2.22 .925
Gerry Cheevers 88 53 34 8 2.70 .902
Andy Moog 70 36 32 3 2.99 .888
Frank Brimsek 68 32 36 2 2.54 Template:Sortdash
Tim Thomas 50 29 21 6 2.07 .933
Gilles Gilbert 31 17 14 3 3.01 .895
Tiny Thompson 33 15 18 6 1.72 Template:Sortdash
Rejean Lemelin 28 12 10 1 3.09 .879
Don Simmons 21 11 10 3 2.55 .915
Byron Dafoe 24 10 14 3 2.29 .906

Template:Col-end

Team awards

Template:See also

The Bruins have several team awards that are traditionally awarded at the last home game of the regular season. Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Franchise individual records

Media and broadcasters

Template:Main

NESN (New England Sports Network)
98.5 The Sports Hub
  • Ryan Johnston: Radio play-by-play
  • Bob Beers: Radio color analyst

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

Template:Reflist

Bibliography

Further reading

Template:Commons category

Template:Boston Bruins Template:Navboxes Template:Portal bar

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Boston_Bruins&oldid=46367"