A website dedicated to bring you the most accurate news and information about the Boston Bruins organization from a fans perspective. This site is not affiliated with the NHL club in any way.
By Cameron Young | Follow me on Twitter @cmoney008
In my latest video uploaded to my YouTube channel, I conclude my two-part series where I build an All-Time Boston Bruins lineup. In this upload, I discuss the defensemen and goalies in addition to 4 honorable mentions that just miss out on roster spots. Check it out below and please subscribe to my YouTube Channel and turn notifications on to be updated when a new video is published.
Honorable Mentions: 2:00
D6: 6:04
D5: 7:36
D4: 9:45
D3: 11:06
D2: 13:53
D1: 15:54
G2: 17:44
G1: 18:46
Now that hockey is nearly back in action, expect to see some Bruins game simulations on EA Sports NHL 20 ahead of each Bruins game. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @cmoney008 and please consider subscribing to the YouTube Channel HERE!
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 186 that we recorded below on 7-19-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
As life slowly progresses to a “new normal” amidst all that has happened in recent months, the hockey community (more specifically members of the Bruins) have embraced the need for change. Others have continued their outreach to help those affected by Covid-19.
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
“Silence is not an option for me anymore.”
Bruins center Patrice Bergeron released a rare statement reacting to the recent death of George Floyd, a American black man who died while being pinned down under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer. Many in the hockey world showed solidarity by marching alongside those affected by the tragedy and Bergeron took to writing out his thoughts:
(Photo Credits: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“As many of you know, I don’t have social media. Right or wrong, I’ve often tried to stay away from making my opinions public. As hockey players, we have a tendency to do our business while staying quiet, without trying to make too much noise. It is in our culture. But surrounding the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed, it made me realize that by not speaking up on the matter and not using my voice as a professional athlete, it’s in fact allowing racism to fester and continue…
“I realize that I will never truly understand the fear, pain and suffering the black community has endured. As a white man I have always tried to live by respect and equality, but I also acknowledge my privileges. I am disappointed in myself that it took this long for me to truly open my eyes. Seeing all this pain truly breaks my heart and forces me to seek answers.”
Bergeron and his family will be donating money to the Boston Chapter of the NAACP and to the Centre Multiethnique De Quebec-$25,000 each.
THE CAPTAIN
“I will never know what it’s like to walk down a street and feel unsafe. No one should have to experience that feeling.”
Fans of the Boston Bruins and of any Boston sport can all agree that Captain Zdeno Chara embodies the characteristics of a bona fide leader. Whether its in the locker room or off the ice, Chara’s words and actions have resonated throughout the NHL. Politics aside and no longer wanting to be a bystander, the Captain took to social media a day after attending a local Black Lives Matter protest:
“For the last 13 days I have been sick about George Floyd’s murder. I have taken time to think and listen. Time to find bravery and time to try to find the right words, though I’ll admit I’m still struggling. First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the Black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. Period.
…we have to take better care of each other and respect each other. Equality must be a priority. Anything less is unacceptable.
I learned a lot yesterday and had good, honest conversations. Not only did we take steps in a walk but we made strides in learning and educating together. But it doesn’t stop there. I will continue to stand – and walk – with you. I have your back.”
RUN FOR CHARITY
While the country continues to deal with Covid-19, Bruins legend Ray Bourque changed up his annual Bourque Family 7.7k Road Race. Originally started in 2018, the Foundation is set up to help support important causes and help communiteis in need. While runners in the past have ran the unique course, this year’s race is virtual. It closed out this past weekend and proceeds from this year’s race will got to those affected by the virus.
Is your running buddy walking or running with you this weekend? Make sure to tag them below! If they haven't signed up, drop a challenge in the comments and make sure they are on the road virtually with you participating in the Virtual 7.7K! https://t.co/iAQQJfOj1Rpic.twitter.com/RyMs0gzlf5
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 182 that we recorded below on 6-7-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
The Montreal Canadiens are one of, if not the oldest hockey team in the National Hockey League. The Boston Bruins are the pioneer American Franchise in the League.
On December 8th, 1924, a rivalry, unlike any other, was born.
And it would change the course of hockey history forever.
Part I: The Beginning
Montreal won the first meeting between the two clubs 4-3, and it was one of Boston’s 24 losses that season. If you think that 24 losses aren’t bad, back in 1925, the Bruins schedule consisted of only 30 games. The expansion Bruins finished that season with 6 wins and only 12 points.
While finishing with a dismal record of 6-24-0 that season, Boston recorded their first-ever victory over the Canadiens on January 10, 1925. A 3-2 overtime win.
While Montreal won the title for the best regular-season record in 1929, the Bruins swept the best of 5 series against Montreal on their way to the first Stanley Cup win in franchise history. This would be the only time in franchise history that Boston held an undefeated record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, sweeping the New York Rangers in two (that isn’t a typo) straight games.
While Boston saw relative success in the late 1930s and early 1940s, it would be the original six team from Quebec that would sucker punch the playoff success out of Boston. Montreal won two Stanley Cups in two seasons while it took Boston a decade to capture their second title after their Championship season in 1929.
Part II: A World War (on Ice)
On February 10th, 1942, in one of the most respectful gestures in the history of this famed rivalry, players from the Canadiens would carry Milt Schmidt, Bobby Bauer, and Woody Dumart (known today as the Kraut Line) off the ice. These three men had selected to turn in their hockey sweaters for military uniforms to fight in World War II. As for the game itself, it was an 8-1 romping victory over Montreal. Dumart, Schmidt, and Bauer combined for an astonishing 11 points.
( Photo Credit: Sportsnet.ca )
But the rivalry between the two clubs with two extremely different cultural backgrounds continued on, while a war was being fought.
Part III: Post War Antics
After the War, Boston saw the return of the Kraut Line for one more season, before Bauer’s retirement in 1947, but failed to see the return of success over Montreal. The 1946 Stanley Cup Final, played between the two teams that season only lasted five games, three of which went to overtime. Montreal won that series. Eleven years would pass before each team saw one another in a Stanley Cup Final.
Part IV: Canadiens Soar while Bruins stumble
In 1952, one of the most famous pictures in hockey history was born. And of course, the two teams involved were Boston and Montreal (because of course, it was). It depicts Maurice Richard, who had scored the series-winning goal in Game 7, shaking hands with Samuel “Sugar Jim” Henry after the game. Both players left bloodied and in grueling pain. You’ve heard of the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
This one is worth a million.
( Photo Credit: habseyesontheprize.com )
Fast forward to 1957. The Canadiens still have Maurice “Rocket” Richard at their expense. The Bruins, well, they have Terry Sawchuck. This Final didn’t last very long. Five games, to be exact. The following season saw a rematch between the two clubs; only this time, well, Boston was able to capture two victories in the series.
This would be the last Stanley Cup Final matchup between the two teams for quite some time.
Part V: The Big Bad Rivalry.
While Boston captured its first Stanley Cup in 29 seasons in 1970, thanks to a soaring Bobby Orr, the Canadiens were the far superior team over the course of the past three decades. (I’m just stating facts)
Boston had a chance to build a dynasty in the early 1970s had it not been for a rookie sensation between the pipes for Montreal. Ken Dryden had stolen the 1971 playoff matchup between Boston and Montreal. Johnny Bucyk had compared the rookie goaltender to an octopus.
( Photo Credit: Boston.com )
Gerry Cheevers (known for his famous stitch covered mask) helped the Bruins forget about their heartbreaking loss the season prior by setting a record of 32 straight wins (24-0-8 being the official stat line)
Boston won the Stanley Cup that season, defeating the New York Rangers in six games.
While the mid-1970s saw some tense moments between the Bruins and Canadiens, it wasn’t until 1979 that the feud boiled over. And as history would have it, the game and the series would go Montreal’s way.
With less than 3 minutes and holding a 4-3 lead in the deciding game 7, the Bruins got caught for too many men on the ice (one of the dumbest penalties in my opinion). Montreal, trailing, would find an answer in one of the most accurate shots you’ll ever see in your life. Guy Lafleur had smashed the puck on a back pass one-timer. As Bruins netminder Gillies Gilbert fell over, failing to catch the shot, the Forum erupted.
( Photo Credit: SI.com )
As the teams came back out on the ice for sudden death overtime, it would be Yvon Lambert who would find a way to get the puck past Gilbert, before Boston found a way to get the puck past Ken Dryden.
Part VI: Bruins banish demons of decades past
It wouldn’t be until 1988 that the Boston Bruins would find a way past their hated rivals to the north. With help from Ray Bourque and Cam Neely, Boston accomplished a feat unseen for 45 years. Montreal would pack their bags for the golf course, and Boston would pack their bags for the Adams Division Finals. Although the Bruins made a magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals that season, they were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. This wouldn’t be the last time that Boston met Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final.
( Photo Credit: Boston.com )
Part VII: The 1990s: Ups and Downs for both clubs
While the turn of the decade saw a shift in success, with Boston winning 4 straight playoff series in the 1990s, the Black and Gold couldn’t find a way to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Montreal would add a 24th Stanley Cup in 1993, but would never play the Bruins as Boston was swept in the opening round.
In 1995, the Bruins knew that a new home was soon needed. As Boston bid farewell to a mecca in hockey lore, they did it in an exhibition match against Montreal, because how else would you close the doors to such a historic building?
While the millennia was fading, the Bruins feud with Montreal, wasn’t. As it never had in years past. The Bruins wouldn’t meet Montreal in the postseason for a few more seasons, as Montreal Failed to make the playoffs in 1998. The following season both teams failed to make the playoffs.
But the rivalry was still there. In 2004, it reached a new boiling point.
Part VII: New Millennium, same old rivalry.
2004 was certainly one of the most heated seasons between the Bruins and Montreal. As Boston would clinch another division title, it would be the Canadiens getting the last laugh as the Habs took the playoff series in another grueling 7 game series.
While being defeated in 2008 to Montreal, Boston would avenge their playoff defeat from the season before the following year. This would also be the series where Patrice Bergeron got his first-ever career fighting major.
As the feud between Boston and Montreal continued into the new decade, it would be 2011 when regular-season games led to a shove, a police investigation, and a goalie fight.
Let’s start out with the shove. After a Montreal overtime win, Max Pacioretty shoved Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara out of the way to celebrate with his teammates. It was a move that angered the Bruins Captain, and while the referees stepped in just in time, it wouldn’t be the last that Chara and Pacioretty would see of each other.
While an 8-6 Bruins win in February of 2011 (which included 192 penalty minutes and a goalie fight between Tim Thomas and Carey Price) didn’t see a Chara vs. Paccioretty fight night, it would light a short fuse between the two teams.
( Photo Credit: Pinterest.com )
On March 8, the stick of dynamite exploded.
As the first period came to an end, Max Pacioretty went to dump the puck in, and as he approached the Canadiens bench, Zdeno Chara ran him into the stanchion, which separated the two benches. This hit was so violent that personally, I thought Paccioretty was paralyzed from the neck down, and the Bruins fan inside of me was yelling YEAH WHAT A HIT! The hockey fan in me was yelling Oh no, that’s not good at all. Chara would not receive any form of punishment, and Montreal fans would go as far as to flood Montreal Police lines with complaints against Chara.
( Photo Credit: montrealgazette.com )
Boston would have the last laugh, defeating Montreal In the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in an overtime game 7 on their way to their first Stanley Cup in 39 years. Montreal hasn’t won since 1993, making it 27 years since the last Championship season for Bleu Blanc Rouge. HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW?! HUH!? (Sorry that’s the Bostonian in me talking)
While Montreal would seek and earn revenge in 2014, defeating Boston in the conference semifinals, it continues to be one of the most anticipated games of the season, each and every year
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 179 that we recorded below on 5-17-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
A hockey jersey is the identity of the team. When you put it on, whether as a fan or a player, you represent the team on the front with pride and passion. Throughout the 96 year history of the Boston Bruins, the team has steered away from the spoked B more than a handful of times. Eight times as a matter of fact. From worst to best, here’s the countdown (and everyone is entitled to their own opinions about this list).
8) 2019-Present Alternate
( Photo Credit: icethletics.com )
I’m putting this one at the bottom of the list because as clean and classic as this jersey looks, it’s extremely basic. There is just a giant B on the chest and almost no standout design on the jersey. I thought seeing this jersey in person would change my opinion, but it didn’t. The Bruins missed their opportunity to make a new alternate jersey that is crisp, clean, and classic. If anything, Boston should have just made their 2019 Winter Classic jersey their alternate, even if they had to only wear it as a road sweater.
7) 2008-2016 Alternate
( Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images )
When the Bruins had to ditch their CCM/Koho brand jerseys in the 2007-2008 season, they also had the task of coming up with an alternate jersey. Boston took the design of their home jersey, which has basically gone untouched in design (apart from a revamping of the famous Spoked B.) Switched the shoulder patch and main Crest around, and knocked out the bottom three stripes. I actually LOVED this jersey when it came out because I had been dying for a new Bruins jersey to hit the scene. I’m only putting it so low on the countdown because when you think about it, did they really try? I mean, all they did was switch a few logos around and knock out some stripes.
Well, we’ve reached the part of the countdown that’s going to cause the most controversy. They’re yellow, they scream the decade 1990s, and they have a not so fierce-looking bear smack dab right on the front of them. I’m talking about none other than the Pooh Bear alternate jerseys. I have so many mixed emotions about this uniform. The more I look at it, the more I think of god what the hell were we thinking? Put this image in your head. Ray Bourque wearing a yellow jersey, with a bear basically representing the cuteness of Winnie the Pooh. (that’s where the name comes from). My only question is What if the bear had been more fierce-looking, would the Bruins have kept it as their alternate? I’m going to say no because Boston has had plenty of golden opportunities to make a better alternate jersey.
5) 2016-2019 Alternate
( Photo Credit: SportsLogos.Net )
When I had figured out that the Bruins were going with a 1920s look for the 2016 Winter Classic.Which was a 5-1 defeat to Montreal (and a game that I’d rather forget). I crossed my fingers and prayed they would just bring back a spitting image of their Brown and yellow 1929 Stanley Cup-winning jerseys. Well, I got about 10 percent of what I was hoping for. The logo is probably the most unique of any Bruins logo. The brown bear in the middle is made of a material that pays homage to the hockey jerseys of the 1920s. Felt. Even though the only thing I like about this jersey is the logo, I’m putting it at number 5 because of the historic significance of the uniform.
4) 1991-92 75th Anniversary
( Photo Credit: NHL.com )
The Bruins, along with the other five original six teams, introduced an alternate jersey that paid tribute to the Bruins sweaters of the late 30s and early 40s. People may or may not remember this jersey as it was only worn for one season. The National Hockey League was celebrating its 75th anniversary and what better way to do it then to have the original six pay homage to their original roots. I love historical significance when it comes to hockey jerseys. If you can design a jersey that tells the history of your team, it’s a winner in my book, and I would love to have this jersey in my collection one day.
3) 2006-07 Alternate
( Photo Credit: NHL.com )
After the infamous Pooh Bear jersey found itself in the scrap pile, Boston went back to a familiar look of success. From 1967-1974, the Bruins would wear some of the most recognizable sweaters in NHL history. 40 years later, the Bruins would bring back memories of the days of Bobby Orr flying through the air, Gerry Cheevers and his stitched mask, and Phil Esposito breaking records some of which still stand to this day. Even though the Bruins only wore this jersey for one season, it was nice to see them embrace a successful part of team history, and who knows, maybe they’ll bring it back for their 100th anniversary in the 2024-2025 season.
2) 2010 Winter Classic
( Photo Credit: ESPN.com )
Unlike their opponents in this game, the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston went above and beyond with these jerseys. In 1948, as a part of the team’s 25th anniversary at the time, the Bruins introduced their world-famous Spoked B logo. This logo looked absolutely amazing and the Brown shoulder yolks and stripes gave that historical significance of the original colors of our beloved hockey team. Even though these jerseys weren’t a personal favorite when they first came out, these jerseys have gained my respect and take the number 2 spot on our countdown.
1) 2019 Winter Classic
( Photo Credit: CoolHockey )
This jersey has it all. A good design, classic Bruins colors, and hidden messages you probably didn’t notice. The six four-leaf clovers on the inside collar, representing the six Stanley Cup Championships Boston has won is my personal favorite. I’ll give you this time to look at the picture closely and say, “oh, I see it now.” I immediately fell in love with these jerseys the day they unveiled them. If Boston were to ever change their jerseys, I would love to see these in the mix.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 177 that we recorded below on 5-3-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!
In 1995, Bostonians everywhere bid farewell to the world-famous Boston Garden. Gone were the (not so) legal rink dimensions, the legendary Parquet floor of the Celtics, and many memories that will forever live in the lore of Boston sports. The Goal, Brad Park’s rolling puck rebound goal, and even the memories of early success in 1929, 1939, and 1941.
But once an old chapter closes, a new one begins.
( Photo Credit: Flickr )
Ever since the first game in TD Garden (a 4-4 Tie against the New York Islanders) then called the Fleet Center upon its grand opening, over 30 million people from all over the world have walked through the doors of the Bruins and Celtics current home. The Bruins would secure their first victory two nights later when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-3. As the season progressed, the Bruins would see relative success finishing with a 22-14-5 home record.
One event can put a new sports arena on the map. For The Garden, that event happened to be the 1996 NHL All-Star Game. The game’s brightest stars all together on one sheet of ice. Bruins legend Ray Bourque scored with less than a minute remaining to clinch victory for the Eastern Conference and would go on to win Most Valuable Player honors.
( Photo Credit: FromThisSeast.com )
It wouldn’t be until 2011 that the TD Garden hosted the Stanley Cup Final, and the first game won’t soon be forgotten. An 8-1 thrashing by the boys in Black and Gold over the Vancouver Canucks. The team’s offense exploded after losing unsung hero Nathan Horton to a late hit from Aaron Rome.
Today, over 20 years later, TD Garden still continues to be one of the most exciting places to watch a hockey game. There may not be a sparkle and shine to the concourse like there once was, with the building being over 20 years old. But the atmosphere of a game in Boston is a surreal experience for any hockey fan, whether you support the Bruins or not.
( Photo Credit: BizJournals.com )
17,565. A number, just like 13,909 that is embedded into the minds of Bruins fans from Hartford to Portland. The capacity of the TD Garden for many years was one of the smallest in the National Hockey League. Only a few arenas can say that they hold fewer fans when all the tickets sell.
Part two. The fans.
Friends come and go, but fans give you a two-hour bond that lasts forever. The fans you meet, are the ones you remember for the rest of your life. It’s the people who sit all around you. The ones that share their personal stories about Bruins teams from long ago. I recall seeing many games over the 19 years I lived in Boston, and the one thing I can remember from every single game is being able to connect with the amazing fans around me. To tell stories about some of the greatest games.
Bruins fans are some of the most loyal fans in any sport. Nobody really jumps on a bandwagon because, as Bostonians, we just don’t really allow it. If you were born anywhere in New England, it was just in your DNA to become a fan of the Black and Gold. To wear the spoked B on your chest from October to April and hopefully up until June. Men growing their own playoff beards, sticking to the tradition don’t shave unless you’re out of the playoffs.
( Photo Credit: TD Garden )
Part three. Personal memories
From the first time I remember seeing the Bruins take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Lord only knows what year(It was a 6-3 Bruins victory if anyone wants to do some research). Funny how the mind works like that. I can remember the score of the game but can’t remember what year it took place in. To the game against the Flyers, where we scored with like 9 seconds left in the game to take the lead.
One of my favorite memories of a Bruins game at TD Garden came in 2010. Fan appreciation day was one of my favorite games to go-to for multiple reasons. The game was close to my Birthday, the Bruins would give out rally towels, which made it feel like a playoff game, and even though I came nowhere close to winning, I always felt happy for the lucky few that won the shirts off our backs raffle. The game itself will also go down as one of the best in Boston Bruins history. In two minutes. On a penalty kill. Boston scored
Not once.
Not twice.
But three, yes, three times on the same shorthanded shift.
Somehow, the hockey gods would turn on us in that game as Carolina scored two goals to cut the deficit to only one. And the game would have been tied two and a half minutes into the third period if it hadn’t been for Patrice Bergeron being in the right place at the right time. Boston would go on to win that game, and I (12 years old at the time walked out with a smiling grin stretching from ear to ear)
Over the years, TD Garden has become a staple in Boston for the millions of fans who walk through the doors every year, and even though COVID-19 had put a screeching halt into the sports season for both the Bruins and Celtics, the building continues to light up as you drive over the Zakim Bridge.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 177 that we recorded below on 5-3-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!
By Joe Chrzanowski | Follow Me on Twitter @jchrz19
Happy 45th Birthday To Former Boston Bruins Defenseman Hal Gill!
Gill was born on April 6th, 1975, in Concord, MA, and was drafted by the Bruins in the eighth round (207 overall) of the National Hockey League Entry Draft in June of 1993. The 6′-7″, 243-pound behemoth of a man was drafted out of Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton, MA before attending Providence College.
He was a four-year starter for the Friars and captained the team his senior year before turning pro for the 1997-98 NHL season. The four years of NCAA play apparently served him well as he would play only four games in the AHL before being called up to the big club, and never looked back. Gill would spend the next 16 years in the NHL, logging more than 1100 games with the Bruins and five other organizations.
He was a fixture on the Boston defense for the next eight seasons, playing with guys like B’s legend Ray Bourque, and current GM, Don Sweeney before they moved on. Gill was a steady, stay at home defenseman who did not put up many points, but was very solid defensively. It was my experience that Gill was a bit of a whipping boy in his years in Boston. I think that was because despite his massive size he was never much of a fighter, although he did fight some heavyweights like Kocur, Godard, and Chara (when he was with OTT). His teams made it past the Quarterfinals only once during his tenure (1998-99) and failed to qualify for the playoffs three times, which was unacceptable to a fanbase that was accustomed to winning.
Gill would move on to Toronto in 2006-07, but not before accumulating 626 games with Boston, more than three times as many games as he would play for any other team. He spent only a year and a half with the Leafs before being dealt to Pittsburgh in 2008 for their playoff run. Like his former teammate, Bourque, Hal Gill would find postseason success outside of Boston. He won a Cup the following year (2009), raising Lord Stanley’s hardware with the Penguins. After that, he played with Montreal, Nashville, and closed his career with a brief stint in Philadelphia.
( Photo Credit: NBC Sports )
While Gill did not enjoy much playoff success in Boston and was underappreciated here, personally I will always think of him as a Bruin. I could never get used to him in a Hab uniform in particular and felt bad that he was wearing that uniform while the B’s went on to win their Cup in 2011. Hopefully, he had an enjoyable 45th birthday today and remembers only his good times here in the Black and Gold.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 173 that we recorded below on 4-4-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!
By: Will Montanez | Follow me on Twitter @Willfro3
Black N Gold Hockey Podcast website is proud to announce a new, recurring series in the rotation of entertaining articles: The Bruins’ Top Six. In honor of the passing of the 2020 NHL trade deadline, the inaugural listing will be on the Bruins’ best Trade Deadline acquisitions of all time.
As part of the NHL’s “Original Six,” the Boston Bruins organization has a long and storied past. The hockey club has been in operation since 1924 and has participated in over 6,500 regular-season games, earning post-season appearances in 72 of those years. The crew went through all recorded trades that the Bruins participated in thanks to documentation by NHL Trade Tracker to pick the best and most influential Trade Deadline transactions made by the club. First things first, the trade must have occurred within six weeks of the NHL trade deadline of that year so readers will not find big trades such as the one that brought Cam Neely to Beantown.
6.) Dennis Seidenberg Poached from Florida
( Photo Credit: NBC Sports Boston )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 401, G – 23, Pts – 117, +/- 54 (GP – 50, G – 2, Pts – 15, +/- 14)
The Bruins acquired Dennis Seidenberg before the Trade Deadline in 2010 from the Florida Panthers along with Matt Bartkowski for Byron Bitz, Craig Weller and the Bruins’ second-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Following the 2004 – 2005 lockout season, Seidenberg became an NHL full-timer with the Philadelphia Flyers.
A bit of a journeyman, he played for three teams in the span of five seasons due to various trades. Seidenberg was seen as a defenseman who would help better balance the D-corps by playing with Zdeno Chara on the right side of the rink. Matt Bartkowski ultimately failed to grab a spot with the Bruins and none of Bitz, Weller or 36th overall pick in the 2010 draft and current Providence Bruin, Alex Petrovic played any meaningful minutes for Florida.
Seidenberg played 17 games in that first season but was injured and missed the entirety of the playoffs which featured the historic collapse to the Philadelphia Flyers. The following season, Seidenberg became a household name in New England as he notched career highs in all offensive categories and helped lead the B’s back-end during the run to the Stanley Cup by logging 27:38 minutes of ice-time over all of the Bruins’ 25 games.
Behind only Chara, Seidenberg’s ice-time trailed the Captain by a mere second per game. The trade locked in one of the key pieces to the championship team in 2011. He also scored at least one goal from center ice three seasons, so that alone should get him into the top-six.
5.) Local Boys Swapped in Deal for Charlie Coyle
( Photo Credit: YouTube )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 84, G – 17, Pts – 40, +/- 32 (GP – 24, G – 9, Pts – 16, +/- 8)
The B’s flipped promising forward Ryan Donato and a conditional pick that ultimately became a fourth-round selection in the 2019 Entry Draft to the Minnesota Wild for center and East Weymouth native Charlie Coyle. Originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks 28th overall in 2010, Coyle was the Wild’s centerpiece in the trade for Brent Burns in the 2011 off-season. Coyle broke into the league during the 2012 – 2013 season while splitting time between the NHL and AHL and never looked back the following year as he proved himself an NHL regular.
Donato came out of the gate quickly for Minnesota but has since shown the same defensive and effort related issues that plagued him in Boston. The pick in the deal was exchanged to Carolina in order to help Minnesota move up to the second round so that they could draft Hunter Jones, a goalie prospect in the Ontario Hockey League.
Since the trade, Coyle has proven to be a versatile top-nine forward that helped the cement the Bruins’ depth chart up the middle of the ice. He has played spot time at wing in various line combinations. Despite an underwhelming early tenure that saw him post two goals, six points and a minus two rating, Coyle turned it in on in the 2019 playoffs scoring some big goals, particularly in the second round against the Columbus Blue Jackets, ultimately potting nine tallies that were tied for most on the team.
Coyle is a serviceable player and seen as a stop-gap in Boston, evidenced by his five-year contract extension that will see him in the Black n’ Gold until 2026. He will help man the middle lane for the foreseeable future, as the Bruins transition from Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to players like Jack Studnicka and John Beecher.
4.) Ray Bourque Given a Chance to Win
( Photo Credit: Globe Staff Lane Turner )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 1,518, G – 395, Pts – 1,506, +/- 493 (GP – 180, G – 36, Pts – 161, +/- 14)
All-time great Ray Bourque was mercifully traded to the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche from a wallowing Bruins team that he dragged to mediocrity along with Dave Andreychuk for Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson, Brian Rolston and a pick that eventually become Martin Samuelsson.
Grenier and Samuelsson never really put it together in the NHL, Pahlsson was jettisoned by B’s management in the first season of the millennium to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks where he helped the franchise capture an NHL title in 2007, Rolston carved out a solid career but left the Bruins following the lockout, save for a brief reunion in the 2011 -2012 season. On the other side of the ledger, Andreychuk left Colorado following the 2000 playoffs and Bourque led the star-studded roster to a Championship in 2001.
This trade entered the annals of folk-legend, in part because it exemplified a management team trying to find a way to get a long-time and faithful soldier to the promise land as repayment for years of loyalty and dedication while the organization continuously failed to put contending pieces together. The Bruins limited themselves to the best of the NHL teams of the time and took a below market-value return to make the move happen. The gesture would become synonymous with the relationships that management and core players develop in the Bruins organization even through the present day.
3.) Fresh Start for Adam Oates
( Photo Credit: NHL.com )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 368, G – 142, Pts – 499, +/- 22 (GP – 42, G – 11, Pts – 48, +/- -18)
Following a contract dispute between the St. Louis Blues and star center Adam Oates related to perceived discrepancies in pay, Blues management offloaded the disgruntled Oates in exchange for Boston’s Craig Janney and Stephane Quintal. Before the trade, Oates had been a key cog in the Blues’ offensive machine for two seasons, helping Brett Hull to Rocket Richard awards in both years.
Despite the reports of Oates’ malcontent demeanor, the Bruins acquired him to help provide offensive pop and complement stars like Cam Neely and Bourque. Janney established himself as an above-average playmaker as he bounced around the league and Quintal ultimately played a stay-at-home role in more than 1,000 regular-season contests with six different teams.
In each season Oates was with the team, the Bruins made the playoffs despite Neely’s injury-plagued decline in the first half of the 1990s. He led the league in assists during the season in which he racked up his career-high in points with 97 and 142 respectively. Oates signed a lucrative deal with the Bruins, but again felt he was underpaid.
When his contemptuous dealings with B’s brass began, they elected to rid themselves of the headache and traded him to the Washington Capitals during the ’96 – ’97 season. Oates was a star in his own right and a 21-time nominee for the Lady Byng award, but his relationship with management, in general, was anything but gentlemanly. This served only to leave a blemish on the talented forward’s legacy.
2.) Carol Vadnais Reinforces Big Bad Blue-Line
( Photo Credit: NESN.com )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 263, G – 47, Pts – 181, +/- 67 (GP – 39, G – two, Pts – 21, +/- 12)
Prior to the 1972 playoffs, the Bruins determined that they would need additional depth on their blue-line behind their top pair of Bobby Orr and Dallas Smith. The club entered and won a bidding war with the Montreal Canadiens for the right to acquire the California Golden Seals’ Carol Vadnais and Don O’Donoghue in exchange for forward Reggie Leach and defensemen Rick Smith and Bob Stewart.
Vadnais would anchor the B’s second pair for the rest of that season and support a successful cup run during the year. He would play another solid three years and change until he was traded to the New York Rangers in 1975. Smith and Stewart fell to relative obscurity and Leach became a star forward in the National Hockey League, although with the Philadelphia Flyers after his time with the Golden Seals.
Since the trade dealt a future prolific scorer in Leach for an understated defenseman, its sometimes considered a poor one for the B’s. This is with the luxury of hindsight and retrospect. Vadnais, who passed away in 2014, was a steady presence on the Bruins blue-line for a team with eight 20-plus goal-scoring forwards that wanted to win now and had a need elsewhere on the roster. Pundits like to talk about which team won a particular deal, but at the heart of every hockey trade, both teams ought to be winning.
Although the Seals wouldn’t hold on to the asset, one of the futures they dealt for did turn out and the Bruins received the support they desired for the playoffs. In this regard, Vadnais represents a near-perfect deadline acquisition; he was meant to bolster the back end for a playoff run that culminated in a Cup win. He did just that and even stuck around for a few years after.
1.) Mentorship and Experience in Mark Recchi
( Photo Credit: ICON SMI )
Regular Season (Playoff) Stats with Bruins: GP – 180, G – 42, Pts – 107, +/- 14 (GP – 49, G – 14, Pts – 16, +/- 30)
In March of 2009, the Boston Bruins swapped Martins Karsums and Matt Lashoff for Mark Recchi and a second-round pick. This Chiarelli move would prove to be a shrewd one, as Mark Recchi would play valuable top-six minutes en route to a Stanley Cup two years later and the pick would be packaged with other minor pieces in the above Seidenberg trade. Karsums and Lashoff would both fail to become full-time NHLers with the former eventually bolting to the KHL in 2010 and the latter mostly toiling in the AHL while bouncing around continents.
Mark Recchi signed two team-friendly, one-year deals with the Bruins during the 2009 and 2010 off-seasons. Under head coach Claude Julien, he was ultimately assigned to line 1b duty with non-other than current top-line players Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron forming a defensively sound combination that was able to contribute offensively. Aside from his on-ice contributions, Recchi had a profound effect on the team’s chemistry and locker room environment. Bergeron credits him with becoming the leader he is today.
While his performance on the ice was limited in comparison to his previous achievements, he helped to set the tone for the 2011 Championship and the continued excellence demonstrated by the organization’s core players before riding off into the sunset with the Cup in his saddle.
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It was announced that this coming Saturday, October 26th former Boston Bruins players will participate in the inaugural “Face-Off For Heroes” Alumni Classic match-up, where they will face the New York Rangers alumni. The event will take place at the Bentley Arena in Waltham, MA at 1:00 PM
The Bruins team will feature Hall of Famers Ray Bourque, Joe Mullen, Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Brian Leetch and Rod Gilbert as either players or coaches. Along with the group, other players being featured are: Rick Middleton, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Linsmen, Andy Brickley, Bob Beers, Andrew Raycroft, Ken Hodge Jr. and Bob Sweeney.
Other notable players include: Andrew Alberts, Dave Shaw, Bruce Crowder, Frank Simonetti, Mike Mottau , Mark Mowers, Dan LaCouture, Adam Graves, Ron Duguay, Brad Richards, Brian Mullen, Jeff Beukeboom, Stephane Matteau, Jay Wells, Steve Eminger, Colton Orr, Tom Laidlaw, and Steve Valiquette.
(Photo Credits: Bruins Alumni)
Benefits will go the Boston Bruins Foundation, the Navy SEAL Foundation and the Warrior for Life Fund. The Life Fund helps military families of every branch that have to deal with hardships of the effects of war along with helping those coping with challenges with disabilities, combat and extended deployment overseas through hockey.
They’re a sponsor of the Navy SEAL Foundation and support all active duty, retired veterans along with their families. Programs offered aim to provide both venues and infrastructure towards service members and families long-term.
The Fund was originally founded as the Virginia Beach Hockey Club (VBHC) Challenge team in 2012. Its main focus was providing the Hampton Roads military community a place to develop a positive team atmosphere to those that wanted to learn how to play hockey. One of the other aspects of the VBHC is “promoting camaraderie, competition, and athleticism to those with and without disabilities. The only requirement was a strong work ethic, dedication, and a positive attitude.”
The brothers Mullen — Joey and Brian — will be among the many NHL legends at the "Alumni Classic-Face Off for Heroes" hockey game between the Bruins & New York Rangers Alumni on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Bentley Arena in Waltham, MA. @BrianMullenNYR Tickets: https://t.co/NE7NYLfX8kpic.twitter.com/7nBAPHn95Q
The game itself will have three running time periods and have three-minute intermission in between. The 1st period will be 20 minutes, while both the 2nd and 3rd will be 15 minutes. Boston Bruins own official anthem singer Todd Angilly will sing prior to the game.
Anyone looking to purchase tickets may do so through the Warrior Fund Website by clicking here. If you’re in the military or first responder, tickets are free. There will also be a raffle that the NHL Alumni & Boston Bruins Foundation will run. A winner will be picked and they’ll have the opportunity to win some great prizes: a chance to outfit a youth, high school or prep school team of their choice with new CCM hockey equipment and win 4 Suite tickets to a Boston Bruins Game. The game will take place on November 5th in Montreal at the Bell Center and the winner will have a chance to tour the Center.
Raffle Tickets can be purchased directly by clicking here.
The Boston Bruins Alumni is “a non-profit organization made up of past players of the Boston Bruins. The Alumni actively coordinates Benefit Hockey Games to raise money for various charities and youth groups. You can check out their schedule for upcoming games.
When you think of perfection, a word that shares both literal & figurative resonance with the B’s top players & top line–led by none other than Patrice Bergeron himself, you think of a number. Well, two numbers now. 100 & 37.
Bergy’s first-period goal was the 100th point of his postseason career, tying Johnny Bucyk and Rick Middleton for fourth in #NHLBruins history. Congrats, Patrice! pic.twitter.com/POmc5oKMJ8
And since hockey, by and large, is a numbers game — especially when lining up a hit between the numbers — it was only fitting that Bergy bested some of Boston’s best ever in a game three performance that completely tilted the ice (and perhaps the series) in the Black N’ Gold’s favor.
But the defacto co-captain of the Bruins wasn’t the only “B” buzzing around the rink and score sheet in St. Louis. Enter MSU alum and power play specialist Torey Krug to the conversation, whose big night from the blue line rivaled that of Bergy.
In fact, Krug’s quatro-point performance propelled him into unparalleled Boston Bruins hockey history. He became the first EVER B’s defenseman (aka defenceman) to record four points in a Stanley Cup Finals game. That’s right… Shore never did it. Orr never did it. Bourque never did it. Big Z never did it. But, No. 47 did!
And if that wasn’t impressive enough… Krug also entered into elite National Hockey League playoff history with his puck-perfect performance–one that definitely gave the hard-hitting and oft-whining opposing team the Blues (cue “Roll Over Beethoven” from Chuck Barry, not Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” for this).
Torey Krug of the @NHLBruins became the fourth player in NHL history – and second defenseman – to record four power-play points in a game during the #StanleyCup Final.
What a nice problem for the Bruins and B’s fans to have after a decisive 7-2 victory, right? Two of their most important & pivotal players each reaching milestones in the SCF! And at the most timely of times to regain home ice and also give a struggling perfection line and top PP unit a big boost of confidence moving forward. Will the numbers continue to trend in this direction? Most likely not at such a historic pace, but even if the B’s received half of what we saw in game three, then the odds are looking good for going back to Boston with a chance to win it all. And all thanks to the inspired scoring and point production of Patrice & Torey — oh, what a story!
Call them the Canes. Call them the Whalers. Call them the Jerks! But, whatever you do, don’t call them inexperienced when it comes to battling the B’s in pivotal playoff match-ups. Hartford-turned-Carolina and Boston have had a healthy history of clashing for the Cup (even regional recognition if you want to really surge up a storm). Let’s take a look back at all the times these two talented teams have met up in the postseason aka the NHL’s most exciting season:
Bruins vs Whalers: 1990
Almost ten years after the Hartford Whalers officially became an NHL franchise in 1979 (they were originally the New England Whalers of the defunct WHA), the team finally met the Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs — or as it was called at the time the Adams Division Semifinals. The series went the distance with the Bruins overcoming what could have been a devastating 3OT game six loss to emerge victorious in game seven. Craig Janney scored what would become the series-clinching GWG in a 3-1 win, with Andy Moog outdueling the inimitable Peter “El Sid” Sidorkiewicz in net.
(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
Bruins vs Whalers: 1991
In a rematch of the 1990 Adams Division Semifinal, the B’s and Whalers again played a hard-fought series. This time, the Bruins’ offense proved just too much to handle for Hartford with the Black N’Gold taking down the White, Green N’Blue in six games. Cam Neely, Ray Bourque and Craig Janney led the way for Boston while Andy Moog proved to be the ultimate puckstopper again between the pipes. These two meetings really showcased how the Bruins’ best players, when playing at their best, could change the course of a game and a series — exactly what will need to happen NOW for Boston to continue its playoff success.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Bruins vs Hurricanes: 1999
When the franchises met for the third time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a lot had changed: Hartford had moved to Carolina and became the Hurricanes (the team was playing in Greensboro then before moving to Raleigh); and the NHL had changed its division & conference structure, as well as playoff seeding, so the number three ranked Canes who won the Southeast Division wound up playing the sixth-seeded Bruins from the Northeast Division in the Conference Quarterfinals aka Round One.
The B’s dispatched Carolina in six games with none being as memorable as the 2OT game five affair. Anson Carter scored the game-winner on a beautiful feed from Jumbo Joe Thornton after the B’s rallied from two down in the third period (see above).
Boston would close it out at home (another change as it was The FleetCenter in ’99) for the third consecutive playoff series win between their once-local now coastal rivals.
(Photo Credit: Ebay)
Hurricanes vs Bruins: 2009
It’s been exactly a decade since the B’s and Canes last faced off in puckdom’s perennial postseason. And it was a painful one so apologies for the ’09 reminder. Coming off a near President’s Trophy-winning season with 116 points and a Northeast Division Championship, the B’s made quick work of the hated Habs in Round One before moving on to face Carolina in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Canes had narrowly defeated the New Jersey Devils in seven games so the match-up heavily favored Boston. It showed in game one but it was all Carolina after that. With the B’s facing a 3-1 series deficit, they routed the Canes at home (now TD Banknorth Garden) before winning game six on the road. That set up a winner-take-all game seven back on home ice before a raucous Gahhhhden crowd (I remember it well). The B’s were trailing 2-1 in the third when old friend Milan Lucic tied things up and sent the game to OT. But that’s when the flukiest of Carolina players scored the flukiest of goals — Scott Walker’s whiffer off a rolling rebound that eluded a tired Tim Thomas — to send the Canes onto the ECF. This was their first playoff series win against Boston in franchise history… and it still stings today!
(Photo Credit: NBC Sports)
Bruins vs Hurricanes: 2019
As I alluded to earlier, in order for the B’s to best the Canes and continue their winning ways this year, their best players — namely Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Pastrnak & Rask — will need to keep the momentum going from the Columbus series and produce, produce, produce. If there’s one thing the 2019 Carolina Hurricanes / Hartford Whalers are good at, it’s playing UP to their opponent and, as we’ve seen from recent playoff history, better than their opponent (to wit: the defending Cup Champ Capitals and the energetic Islanders of Brooklyn). BN’G colleague @tkdmaxbjj will have more on what this series could mean for both teams right here so check back in with your Black N’ Gold squad soon — after all, it’s #InOurBlood!
A machine is not built from a single part. A system cannot operate alone. And a team is not comprised of an individual. These are just some of the men whose skill, speed, and ferocity combine to form the Boston Bruins.
There are some moments in hockey that even if they’re not from the playoffs, they still belong in a team’s shared history/story together. These are a few of those unforgettable moments!
The Boston Brawl of ’90
Don’t mess with Cam Neely. Or Craig Janney. Or Glen Wesley. Or Chris Nilan. Or Jim Wiemer. Or Lyndon “off the bench” Byers for that matter (yes, stay watching until that moment — don’t let Byers pass you by, dare I say).
The Czerkawski Crosscheck of ’96
Much the same way Bobby Orr got trailblazed after scoring (although this incident was not on nearly as grand or momentous of a stage), one time B’s legend Marius Czerkawski got Czer-cross-checked after his timely tally back in ’96. The B’s didn’t have a lot to fight for during those years so at least they stuck up for each other when the Whale wanted to wallop!
The Shorty Shellacking of ’10
I don’t think this will ever happen again in the NHL. And man oh man was it a pleasure to watch (especially after what had happened the year previous): three shorthanded goals in just over a minute on the same Hurricanes powerplay. Talk about being swept away!
Feel free to let us know what YOUR favorite Bruins/Canes/Whalers memories are by commenting below or sharing on social media using the #BruinsFam hashtag!
(Photo Credits: Bennington Banter/Berkshire Eagle/Matthew Sprague)
(Photo Credits: Bruins Alumni)
(Photo Credit: Hockey News)
(Photo Credit: WGME)
(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The B’s dispatched Carolina in six games with none being as memorable as the 2OT game five affair. Anson Carter scored the game-winner on a beautiful feed from Jumbo Joe Thornton after the B’s rallied from two down in the third period (see above).
(Photo Credit: NBC Sports)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63188731/1133918623.jpg.0.jpg)
(Photo Credit: Canes Country)