By: Matthew Lemear | Follow me on X @Mlemear331
The Boston Bruins are an NHL Original Six franchise and the first American-based franchise for the NHL. The Bruins made their NHL debut during the 1925-1926 season and have since become one of the league’s most successful and prestigious franchises.
Choosing a good captain is paramount to a franchise, especially the caliber of the Bruins and fellow Original Six franchises. Today, we look at my choices for the top three Captains in Bruins franchise history, and we certainly will not forget the honorable mentions either.
Number one on my list is the Chief, Johnny Bucyk! After two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Johnny Bucyk was traded to Boston, the city that would become his home for the next 21 seasons. Bucyk was named Captain for the 1966/1967 season and then again for the 1973-1977 seasons. Bucyk was part of two Stanley Cup-winning seasons with the Bruins in the 1969/1970 and 1971/1972 seasons.
Many people may not realize that Johnny Bucyk would get so worked up before games that he would become ill and sometimes vomit before taking the ice. That is how much playing well and winning meant to him. The Chief ended his career with 1,540 games played and 1,369 points.
To this day, Bucyk continues to work for the franchise in an ambassador role and, throughout his decades with the team, has served in multiple roles, including as a broadcaster and front-office member. It’s hard to argue against Bucyk being the number-one choice when he still serves the team 68 years after his arrival! https://www.nhl.com/player/johnny-bucyk-8445240
Number two on my top three list is the big man, Zdeno Chara. The real inspiration for this list was the recent announcement that Chara was returning to the Bruins organization as a consultant. Chara came to the Bruins in the offseason between the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons, a time when the direction of this franchise was in limbo.
The Bruins had just traded their young star and current Captain, Joe Thornton, the previous season, and frustration amongst the fanbase was at what seemed to be an all-time high. Chara was named Captain before his first season in Boston and would maintain the C for 14 seasons. Chara led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup victory in 2011 and is largely credited by many with establishing and developing the culture that is the Bruins franchise today.
Also, it was evident that younger players such as Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, among others, benefited from learning leadership under the guidance of Big Z. Chara retired after the 2021/2022 season with a total of 1,680 games played and 680 career points. Chara was also recently elected to the IIHF Hall of Fame and will certainly be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the near future. https://www.nhl.com/player/zdeno-chara-8465009
Last but certainly not least on my list is number 77, Raymond Bourque! Growing up, Bourque was my favorite player, and I was a devastated 14-year-old kid when he was traded to the Avalanche in March of 2000. Bourque’s first season in the NHL was the 1979/1980 season; he was named Captain in 1985 and maintained the C until he was traded on March 6, 2000. Bourque spent 21 of his 23 seasons in a Bruins uniform and was the epitome of what a team Captain should be.
Two moments that always stand out when I think of Ray Bourque are when he gave up uniform number seven and changed to number 77 so that Phil Esposito could have his number seven retired to the rafters. The second moment that stands out was when Ray Borque assisted Normand Leveille in skating on the Boston Garden ice one more time after suffering a brain aneurysm during a game, ending his career immediately at the age of 19.
Bourque ended his career following the 2000/2001 season, in which he finally won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Bourque ended his career with 1,612 games played and 1,579 points, 19 All-Star game appearances, and an All-Star game MVP in 1996 on home ice, cementing his legacy as one of the best defensemen to ever play in the NHL. Bourque still makes regular appearances for the franchise as an ambassador and can be seen involved in pre-game ceremonies honoring the history of the Boston Bruins. https://www.nhl.com/player/ray-bourque-8445621
The Bruins have had 27 Captains in the franchise’s history, so it was challenging to pick just three as the best. Here are some of my honorable mentions that had a profound impact on the franchise during their Captaincies, in no particular order:
- #37 Patrice Bergeron 2020-2023
- Sprague Cleghorn 1925-1926 (First Captain in Franchise History)
- #24 Terry O’Reilly 1983-1985
- #16 Rick Middleton 1985-1988
- #15 Milt Schmidt 1947-1948, 1950-1955
Looking back through the Boston Bruins’ history, it is no surprise that they have succeeded based on the individuals they have chosen to put into on-ice leadership positions. Almost half of the players (12 of 27) who have Captained the Bruins are in the Hall of Fame. As the article in the link below indicates, that number will only increase when the likes of Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and potentially current Captain Brad Marchand are inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nhl/boston-bruins/boston-bruins-captains-full-list-teams-100-year-history/554017/
In their 100 years of existence, the Boston Bruins have continually proven that a good leader needs to be able to produce on the ice at an elite level and understand and know his teammates on a personal level. A lot of leadership, especially in sports, involves tapping into someone’s emotional aspects and helping them use that to become a great player, a great teammate, and, ultimately, a great person.
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