By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
No one will ever forget what the 2010-11 Boston Bruins did for the City of Boston, bringing the Stanley Cup back home for the first time in 39 years and keeping the city’s storied legacy alive. While roster turnover is certainly not unexpected, it is still amazing to see just how much the composition of the Bruins has changed in the eight years since June 15, 2011.

Currently, only six Bruins were on the roster in 2011: Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, and Steven Kampfer (who was technically a “Black Ace” during the Cup run). So, what ever happened to the others, the guys who have since left one way or another?

Tyler Seguin

Getting this one out of the way early; you all know the story. Seguin went on to play two more seasons for the Bruins after winning Lord Stanley as a rookie. However, after some growing pains and a disappointing 2013 season, he was traded to the Dallas Stars along with Rich Peverley and Ryan Button for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Joe Morrow, and Matt Fraser. Now 27 years-old, Seguin is still one of the key cogs for Dallas as the Stars’ top center.

Rich Peverley

One of the more important players for the Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Peverley was shipped out with Seguin in the aforementioned deal above. The now 36-year-old would only play 62 games for the Stars before a scary incident on the bench in which he collapsed due to an irregular heartbeat during a game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets ended his season. The cardiac issue forced Peverley to hang up the skates, but he is still involved with the Stars as a player development coordinator.

Mark Recchi

Recchi went out on top with three Cups to his name between Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Boston as his final professional game came in that Game Seven in Vancouver. Now 51, Recchi spent a year with the Stars as a consultant in 2013, before returning to the Penguins as a player development coach; he was later named director of player development. He is now an assistant coach to Mike Sullivan. Recchi also co-owns the Kamloops Blazers along with Jarome Iginla, Darryl Sidor, Shane Doan, and Stars owner Tom Galgardi.

Chris Kelly

A foot soldier for the Bruins, Kelly played five more seasons before both sides parted ways after he broke his femur. He signed with his former team, the Ottawa Senators and played one season for the club. After his second stint with the Sens, Kelly signed a professional tryout with the Edmonton Oilers, was not offered a deal, and joined the Belleville Senators, Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, on a PTO. Kelly represented Team Canada at the 2017 Spengler Cup, which they won, and rejoined Belleville before representing Canada as captain at the 2018 Winter Olympics. After the Olympics, the 38-year-old signed with the Anaheim Ducks for the remainder of the season. Now, he is with the Sens once again as a development coach.

Nathan Horton

One of the 2011 Cup run’s heroes, Horton opted to sign with Columbus after the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign. Out until January of 2014 due to shoulder surgery, Horton only suited up in 36 games for the Blue Jackets before he was diagnosed with a degenerative back condition in the lumbar region in October 2014 that ended his season and his career, unofficially. On long-term injured reserve, he was traded to the Maple Leafs due to financial considerations for David Clarkson in 2015. The 33-year-old has yet to play a game for the Leafs and is not expected to play one, although he has taken his physical with the team before each season, failing it each time.

Milan Lucic

“Looch” was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in June of 2015 for Colin Miller, Martin Jones, and the 13th-overall pick (Jakob Zboril). In one season with LA, Lucic scored 20 goals and 55 points, which earned him a seven-year, $42-million deal with the Oilers in the summer of 2016.

Michael Ryder

The winger signed with Dallas in the summer of 2011 after his three-year stint with the Bruins ended with winning the Stanley Cup. During his second year in Dallas in 2013, Ryder was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, where he began his career. After his second run in Montreal, the now 39-year-old signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, where he finished his career.

Dennis Seidenberg

Seidenberg was bought out by the Bruins at the end of the 2016 campaign after age and tearing both his ACL and MCL in 2013 showed their effects. Now 37 years-old, the German signed a one-year deal with the New York Islanders for the 2016-17 season, and signed another one-year deal for the 2017-18 run. A free agent for most of the 2018-19 season, Seidenberg signed with the Isles in February for the remainder of the 2019 season, but didn’t suit up in a game.

Tomas Kaberle

After arriving to Boston via trade at the deadline in 2011, Kaberle signed for three years with the Hurricanes in the 2011 offseason. In December of 2011, Kaberle was traded to the Habs. In 2013, the Czech native only appeared in 10 games for the Habs and was released via compliance buyout in the off-season. Kaberle signed with his hometown club, HC Kladano–he played there during the 2013 lockout–in September 2013. He was invited to training camp with the Devils in September 2014, but was released before a cup of tea with the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL; he returned to HC Kladano that season as well. In 2016, Kaberle officially retired.

Andrew Ference

In July 2013, Ference signed with the Oilers, his hometown team, and was named the franchise’s 14th captain. Six games into the 2015-16 campaign, Ference was placed on injured reserve after season-ending hip surgery. In 2016, he announced his retirement before officially retiring in the 2017 offseason once his contract ran out. In 2018, the NHL named Ference its first director of social impact, growth, and fan development; he focuses on grass-roots growth, community development efforts, engaging minority fans and players, and facilitating relations between players and the league.

Johnny Boychuk

Boychuk remained with the Bruins until September 2014 when he became one of the first cap casualties of the Peter Chiarelli era as he was dealt to the New York Islanders for two second-round draft picks–one in 2015 (Brandon Carlo) and the other in 2016 (Ryan Lindgren). The 35-year-old signed a seven-year extension with the Isles in March 2015.

Daniel Paille

After he and the Bruins parted ways in the 2015 offseason, Paille was invited to training camp with the Chicago Blackhawks before joining their AHL-affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs on a PTO. One-third of Boston’s storied “Merlot Line,” Paille signed with the New York Rangers in the 2015-16 season and finished that year bouncing between the Blueshirts and AHL Hartford. Before retiring in 2017, Paille spent one season with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League.

Gregory Campbell

Another third of the “Merlot Line,” Campbell signed with Columbus as a free agent in 2015 after five seasons with the Bruins. “Soupy” was placed on unconditional waivers by the Blue Jackets in December 2016, but was unwilling to play in the organizations minor league system. He officially retired in July 2017.

Adam McQuaid

After nine seasons with the Bruins, McQuaid was traded to the Rangers in September 2018 for Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-rounder, and a conditional seventh-round pick. After 36 games with the Rangers, McQuaid was traded to the Blue Jackets at the deadline as a rental to bolster their depth for the playoffs; he’ll be a free agent this summer.

Shawn Thornton

After the 2013-14 season, the Bruins did not re-sign Thornton, who signed with the Florida Panthers for two years. After his contract ran out in 2016, the third member of the “Merlot Line” signed for one more year. Thornton retired at the end of the 2017 season and joined the Panthers’ front office in a business-related position.

Tim Thomas

A member of Boston hockey lore, Thomas’ 2011 run was one for the ages. After the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, Thomas announced that he would be taking a break from hockey, sitting out the 2013 season. In February 2013, Thomas was traded to the Islanders for a conditional second-rounder after the Bruins suspended him for not reporting to training camp; he sat out the remainder of his contract. In September 2014, the Panthers invited Thomas to training camp and he signed a one-year deal with the club; he was later traded dealt to Dallas where he finished his career.

“Sheriff” Shane Hnidy

Although his name does not appear on Lord Stanley, Hnidy received a ring and a day with the Cup. His three games in the 2011 campaign were his last in the NHL. Now, he is the color commentator on the Vegas Golden Knights television broadcasts alongside former radio play-by-play man for the Bruins, Dave Goucher.