The centennial season celebration for the Bruins is officially underway, and boy, is there going to be a lot to take in when it comes to the Bruins turning 100. We’re talking new jerseys (and fashion shows unveiling those new jerseys), and an on-site museum of sorts opening at TD Garden to look through the century-long history of the club.
One of the first tasks, however, was coming up with the ‘Historic 100’ to name the 100 most legendary players in the history of the franchise. Now, note that it’s legendary and not best. This wasn’t about picking the 100 greatest players in the organization (though that certainly played into it to a degree), but the 100 most legendary Bruins.
The #NHLBruins All-Centennial Team Selection Committee. pic.twitter.com/zYBPHIr9lj
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 10, 2023
Speaking personally, I was honored — shocked, even — to be picked to be part of this committee. They got the kid who used to buy $10 tickets with his Dunkin’ Donuts tip money (quick shoutout to the Burlington Mall Dunks circa 2007) deciding who’s an all-time great! Sadly for 2007 Ty, I don’t believe Glen Metropolit and Chuck Kobasew are making this list. But holy smokes, did I agonize over this. My greatest fear was missing out on an extremely obvious player.
That, based on the results shared by the Bruins after tabulating all our votes, did not happen.
And while this isn’t a ranked list, I can tell you that mine went Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk, and Patrice Bergeron. In that order, I’m like 90 percent sure. I can also tell you that I rounded out my list with Andrew Ference in the No. 100 spot, and I believe that I had Tim Thomas one spot ahead of Tuukka Rask somewhere in the 20s because I truly couldn’t decide between the two when weighing peak (Thomas) versus longevity (Rask).
These debates only got more insane as the list went down into the 40s, and by the 70s, it was pure chaos.
But our results came through Tuesday, and with the Bruins unveiling the ‘Historic 100’ in full.
Just as a note, this is not my own personal list of 100, but rather the results of all of our votes tabulated to get it down to 100. It’s also worth noting that this list is not ranked, but rather the results of the voting…
UNIONDALE, NY – JANUARY 15: P.J. Axelsson #11 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New York Islanders on January 15, 2009 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The Bruins defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Jason Allison (1997-2001): Traded to the Bruins from Washington in 1997, center Jason Allison spent four and a half years with the Bruins, and totaled 105 goals and 294 points in 301 total games with the Bruins. Allison’s best year in Boston came in his final in town, with 36 goals and 95 points in 82 games in 2000-01, which was also Allison’s first and only season as the B’s captain.
Don Awrey (1963-73): A left-shooting defenseman, Don Awrey spent the first 10 years of his 16-year NHL career with the Bruins, and was part of the franchise’s Cup-winning teams in 1970 and 1972. Awrey’s 543 games played with the Bruins are the 13th-most among all defensemen in franchise history, while his plus-105 rating is the 12th-best mark among the B’s all-time blue liner list.
P.J. Axelsson (1997-2009): A seventh-round pick of the Bruins back in 1995, Axelsson spent his entire 11-year NHL career with Boston, and set career-highs in goals (17) and points (36) in 2002-03. Known for his two-way game, Axelsson’s best finish in the Selke Trophy race came in 2007-08 with a ninth-place finish, while Axelsson finished in the top-16 for the voting on four separate occasions. Axelsson’s 797 games with the Bruins are the 14th-most by any Bruin in the franchise’s history.
Garnet ‘Ace’ Bailey (1968-73): A Bruin for five seasons, Bailey’s most notable contribution came in Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final, when he scored the game-winning goal to help save the Bruins from what would’ve been a downright disastrous loss after the club blew a four-goal lead to the Rangers. Bailey would finish that postseason with two goals and six points in 13 games, and capture his second Cup with Boston. Overall, Bailey recorded 31 goals and 77 points in his 232-game run with the Bruins. Bailey, who moved into scouting following his retirement, sadly lost his life in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Marty Barry (1929-35): A Bruin for six seasons, Marty Barry was one of the most productive scorers of his era, with 129 goals and 218 points in his 279-game run with Boston. In fact, over that six-year run, only three NHL players scored more goals than Barry did for the Bruins, while 218 points were the 10th-most in the NHL.
Apr 26, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) gets ready for a face-off during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)
Bobby Bauer (1935-42, ’45-47, ’51-52): The right wing of Boston’s famous ‘Kraut Line’, Bauer spent his entire NHL career with the Bruins, and racked up 123 goals and 259 points in 327 games with the Bruins. Bauer’s nine-year career included two Stanley Cup championships, four All-Star nods, and three Lady Byng wins. It’s crazy to think what Bauer (and the Bruins for that matter) would’ve been able to accomplish had it not been for World War II robbing him of his Age-27, 28, and 29 seasons.
Patrice Bergeron (2003-23): The best two-way player of his era, Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron’s greatest career accolade, of course, is his NHL-record six Selke Trophy victories. In addition to the crowded trophy case, Bergeron also won a Cup with the Bruins in 2011 (and scored the game-winning goal in Game 7), and retired this summer third on the team’s all-time games list (1,294), third on their all-time goals list (427), fourth in assists (613), and third in points (1,040). Bergeron’s 81 game-winning goals are also the second-most in franchise history, trailing only Johnny Bucyk and his 88 career game-winning goals.
Leo Boivin (1954-66): A veteran of 19 NHL seasons, Boivin spent 12 seasons with the Bruins, and his 717 games with the Bruins are the 19th-most in franchise history. The 5-foot-8 defenseman’s best year with the Bruins came back in 1960-61, with six goals and 23 points in 57 games, along with a fifth-place finish in the voting for the Norris Trophy.
Ray Bourque (1979-2000): One of several gimmes on the board, Bourque is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,518), assists (1,111), and points (1,506). Including his numbers with the Avalanche, Bourque is the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history, with 1,579 points.
Johnny Boychuk (2008-14): With the Bruins for six seasons, Boychuk totaled 19 goals and 75 points, along with a plus-88 rating, in 317 games. Boychuk was also part of the 2011 team that won a Stanley Cup, and had six goals during Boston’s 2013 run to the Stanley Cup Final. Boychuk also finished 11th in the Calder Trophy voting in his first season with the Bruins. Not bad for a player acquired in a one-for-one trade for Matt Hendricks.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 29: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the second period of the game between the Bruins and the New York Rangers at TD Garden on November 29, 2019. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Frank Brimsek (1938-43, ’45-49): Considered by some to be the greatest goaltender in Bruins history, Frank Brimsek had a downright ridiculous career. During his nine-year tenure with the Bruins, Brimsek won the Calder, was an All-Star eight times, won the Vezina Trophy twice, and won two Stanley Cups. And like many, World War II interrupted Brimsek’s prime, as he missed his Age-28 and 29 seasons.
Johnny Bucyk (1957-78): A Bruin through and through, Bucyk sits atop the franchise’s all-time goals list, with 545. Bucyk, who won two Cups with the Bruins, was a model of consistency throughout his time with the Bruins, with 16 20-goal seasons and 12 years of at least 60 points. Bucyk is tied with Bourque for the most seasons with the Bruins, with 21.
Herb Cain (1939-46): On Boston’s roster for seven seasons, Cain was actually the first player in league history to record at least 80 points in a season, with 82 points in just 49 games during the 1943-44 year. Overall, Cain recorded 140 goals and 258 points in 316 games with the Bruins, and was part of the 1941 team that won the Stanley Cup.
Wayne Cashman (1964-65, ’67-83): One of seven players to play at least 1,000 games with the Bruins, Cashman’s 277 goals are the 10th-most in Bruins history, while his 793 points rank eighth.
Zdeno Chara (2006-20): Personally, I think Zdeno Chara is the greatest free-agent signing in NHL history. The face of Boston’s shift from directionless to Stanley Cup contenders, Chara won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2009, and captained the Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship in 2011. The Bruins also went to the Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019 under Chara’s leadership.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 24: Boston Bruins fans hold a giant flag with the Boston Logo on it prior Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden on June 24, 2013. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Gerry Cheevers (1965-72, ’75-80): In addition to sporting one of the most iconic masks in all of hockey, Gerry Cheevers helped backstop the Bruins to Stanley Cup parades in both 1970 and 1972, and his 226 wins with the Bruins are the fourth-most in team history. Cheevers’ 53 playoff wins are the second-most in Bruins history, and rank 20th on the league’s all-time leaderboard.
Dit Clapper (1927-47): A career-long Bruin, Clapper played both forward and defense, and was an All-Star at both (three First Team All-Star nods at defense, four total All-Star nods at defense, and two at right wing). Clapper was also a three-time Cup winner during his time with the Bruins (the most among any Bruin in franchise history), and was the first player in NHL history to play 20 seasons with the same team.
Roy Conacher (1938-42, ’45-46): Winger Roy Conacher burst on the scene with a bang, with a league-leading 26 goals in 47 games during his rookie season back in 1938-39, and would score at least 24 goals in three of his first four seasons with the Bruins. Conacher’s 92 goals over the four-year run were the second-most in hockey, and Conacher is yet another player whose prime was taken from us by way of World War II.
Bill Cowley (1935-47): Nobody in the league had more assists (347) or points (537) than Bill Cowley did during his run with the Bruins from 1935 to 1947, and only Toe Blake scored more goals. Cowley actually retired as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, too. A criminally underrated player in the history of the Bruins.
Jack Crawford (1937-50): A Bruin for all 13 years of his NHL career patrolling the blue line, Crawford was a two-time Cup winner and two-time All-Star for Boston.
21 Mar 1998: Goaltender Byron Dafoe and center Mike Sullivan of the Boston Bruins in action during a game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Bruins defeated the Sabres 2-1. (Craig Melvin /Al)
Keith Crowder (1980-89): Crowder spent nine of his 10 NHL seasons with the Bruins, and is actually one of just nine players in franchise history to put up at least three 30-goal seasons with the club. Crowder’s career-high on that front came with a 38-goal campaign in 1985-86. Overall, Crowder put up 219 goals and 477 points in 607 career games with the Black and Gold.
Byron Dafoe (1997-2002): Lord Byron spent just five years with the Bruins, but he really did stuff the ol’ stat sheet during that run, with 132 wins, a .911 save percentage, and 2.30 goals against average in 283 games with the Bruins. Dafoe also finished top-10 in Vein voting three times during that run, was an All-Star in 1998-99, and finished top-12 in Hart Trophy voting in both 1997-98 and 1998-99.
Gary Doak (1965-70, ’72-81): An NHLer for 16 seasons, Doak spent all but two of them with Boston, and was part of the 1970 team that won the Stanley Cup. His 610 games with the Bruins are the 28th-most in team history.
Ted Donato (1991-98, 2003-04): The Massachusetts native scored 119 goals and 266 points in 528 games with the Bruins. His 266 points are the 56th-most in team history.
Woody Dumart (1935-42, ’45-54): A three-time All-Star and two-time Stanley Cup champion over the course of a 16-year career with the Bruins, Dumart’s 774 games with the Bruins are the 16th-most in team history, while his 430 points rank 25th. Only 14 players have appeared in more playoff games in a Bruins sweater than Dumart (88).
Phil Esposito during the NHL 100 presented by GEICO Show as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend at the Microsoft Theater on January 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (GETTY IMAGES)
Phil Esposito (1967-75): The running mate for Bobby Orr throughout Boston’s 1970s runs, Esposito’s numbers with the Bruins were downright sick. In just nine years with the Bruins, Esposito was an eight-time All-Star, a five-time Art Ross winner, and two-time Hart winner. Esposito also won Cups in 1970 and 1972 and has a team record that’s unlikely to be broken, with 76 goals and 152 points for the Bruins in 1970-71.
Andrew Ference (2007-13): I had Ference on my list, and my reasoning for that really comes back to 2011 and what he did for the Bruins on the way to a championship. Ference scored a clutch goal in Boston’s first-round series with the Canadiens (and flipped ’em the bird right after scoring), and Ference spotted the hole in Tampa Bay’s patented 1-3-1 for the only goal in the B’s Game 7 victory. Ference making this list confirms that I wasn’t alone when it came to weighing the importance of his 2011.
Fernie Flaman (1944-51, ’54-61): Given Boston’s rich history at the defense position, it’s easy for a guy like Fernie Flaman to fall out of frame. But Flaman was considered by legends such as Gordie Howe and Jean Believeau to be one of the toughest defenders to go up against. That’s gotta count for something. Flaman played 683 games in a Bruins sweater, and had five straight top-five Norris Trophy finishes from 1954-59.
Gilles Gilbert (1973-80): Gilbert spent half of his 14-year NHL career with the Bruins, and posted a 155-73-39 record and 2.95 goals against average with the club.
Ted Green (1960-72): Green played 621 games with the Bruins over an 11-season run in town (Green missed the 1969-70 season with a fractured skull suffered in an exhibition-game ‘stick fight’ with the Blues’ Wayne Maki), and was a top-10 vote getter for the Norris Trophy three times.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 14: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins, right, and Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators, left, pose for the ceremonial puck drop for the 50th Anniversary 1972 Stanley Cup alumni Don Marcotte, Dallas Smith, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge, Rick Smith and Garry Peters at TD Garden on April 14, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Lionel Hitchman (1925-34): If we’re talking about the identity of the Bruins, there’s no doubt that Lionel Hitchman was the organization’s very first foundational piece. Over the course of a decade-long run with Boston, Hitchman appeared in 378 games, was second in Hart Trophy voting in 1929-30, and was part of the team’s Stanley Cup-winning roster in 1928-29.
Ken Hodge (1967-76): With the Bruins for nine seasons, Hodge scored at least 40 goals on three separate occasions over his Boston run, including a career-high 50 goals in 1973-74. Hodge also hit the 100-point mark on two separate occasions, with 105 points in both 1970-71 and ’73-74. A two-time All-Star and two-time Cup winner, Hodge scored the fifth-most goals and seventh-most points in hockey over the life of his B’s tenure.
Flash Hollett (1936-44): Considered one of the best offensive blue liners of his era, Hollett recorded 84 goals and 199 points in 353 games with the Bruins. Hollett actually recorded back-to-back seasons of 19 goals, which at the time, was an NHL single-season record for a defender.
Nathan Horton (2010-13): Boston doesn’t get the job done in 2011 without some massive contributions from Nathan Horton along the way. Namely with his Game 7 overtime goal against the Canadiens and his Game 7 goal in a 1-0 final over the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals. Horton had a bit of a flair for the postseason, really, as the Bruins made it to the Final in both of Horton’s healthy postseasons with the Bruins, while Horton had 15 goals and 36 points in 43 career playoff games with the club.
Bronco Horvath (1957-61): Though he was a Bruin for just four years, Horvath was more than solid during his Boston run, with 103 goals and 215 points in 227 games with the Bruins. Horvath scored a league-leading 39 goals with Boston in 1959-60.
BOSTON, MA – MAY 08: Fans react after Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins scores in the second period against the Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Craig Janney (1987-92): A Bruin for five seasons, the Connecticut-born Janney put up 85 goals and 283 points in 262 games with the Bruins. Janney would finish fifth in the Calder Trophy voting after putting up 62 points in 62 games in 1988-89, but was at his best for the B’s in 1990-91, with 92 points in 77 games played.
Eddie Johnston (1962-73): With the B’s for 11 years, Johnston compiled a 182-192-54 record with the Bruins, but was nails in the 1972 playoffs, with six wins and a .936 save percentage on the way to a Stanley Cup.
Stan Jonathan (1975-83): Known for his tenacity, Stan Jonathan actually had a bit of offensive pop to go with his fists, and finished his B’s career with 91 goals and 198 points in 392 games with the club. Fun fact: His 19.4 shooting percentage with the Bruins is actually the third-best in franchise history among players with at least 400 shots on goal.
Steve Kasper (1980-89): The left-shooting Kasper recorded 135 goals and 355 points in 564 games with Boston, and won the Selke Trophy in 1981-82.
Phil Kessel (2006-09): Drafted with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Kessel spent just three seasons with the Bruins, and totaled 66 goals and 126 points in 222 games with the Bruins. Kessel also won the Masterton Trophy in 2007 after battling his way back into the B’s lineup after a bout with testicular cancer.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 26: David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden on January 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Gord Kluzak (1982-90): A 6-foot-4, left-shooting defenseman, the Bruins selected Good Kluzak with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 NHL Draft. Just the second No. 1 overall pick in B’s history, Kluzak battled injuries throughout his career, and ended his NHL career with 25 goals and 123 points, along with a plus-39 rating, in 299 games from 1982 through 1991. Kluzak also won the Masterton Trophy in 1990.
David Krejci (2007-21, ’22-23): One of the greatest playoff performers in Bruins history, Krejci led the playoffs in scoring in both 2011 and 2013 and finally called it a career this past offseason after returning to the club for ‘one final run’ in 2022-23. One of just seven skaters to play at least 1,000 games with the Bruins, Krejci’s 1,032 games in a Boston sweater rank fifth on the club’s all-time list, while his 231 goals are 13th on the franchise leaderboard, and his 786 points are the ninth-most by any player in team history.
Torey Krug (2012-20): An undrafted talent out of Michigan State, the 5-foot-9 Krug put up 67 goals and 337 points in 523 games with the Bruins, and was named to the NHL All-Rookie team in 2013-14. His 337 points are the most by any American-born player in the history of the franchise.
Leo Labine (1951-61): An Ontario-born winger, Labine spent 10 of his 11 NHL seasons with the Bruins, and recorded 123 goals and 303 points in 571 games with Boston.
Reggie Lemelin (1987-93): With the Bruins for six seasons following a nine-year run with the Flames, Lemelin put up 92 wins and an .884 save percentage in 183 games with the Bruins, and had four top-7 finishes in the Vezina Trophy voting over that six-season run. Lemelin also won the Jennings Trophy in 1989-90 with Andy Moog.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 28: Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on December 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Ken Linseman (1984-90): The original ‘Rat’ in Boston (though I’m pretty sure he didn’t let anybody who wasn’t his teammate call him that), Linseman scored 125 goals and 372 points in 389 games with the Bruins. He was especially devastating in the postseason, with 16 goals and 38 points in 35 playoff games with the B’s. He’s actually one of just eight Bruins players to average at least 1.00 points per playoff game (minimum 30 games).
Milan Lucic (2007-15, 2023-present): One of the faces of ‘The Big, Bad Bruins 2.0’, Lucic enters 2023-24 with 139 goals (34th-most in team history) and 342 points (37th-most in team history) in 566 career games with the Bruins.
Fleming Mackell (1952-60): On the board with 127 goals and 312 points in 514 career games with Boston, Mackell was an All-Star in 1952-43, and finished ninth in the Hart Trophy voting for 1957-58. Mackell also led the postseason in assists (14) and points (19) during his 1958 playoff run with the Bruins.
Brad Marchand (2009-present): From fourth-line agitator to first-line superstar, Brad Marchand enters the upcoming season with 372 goals and 862 points in 947 games with the Bruins. His 372 goals are the sixth-most in franchise history, while his 862 points are the seventh-most among all Bruins. That gives Marchand a decent shot at becoming just the fifth player in team history to record at least 1,000 points in a B’s sweater.
Don Marcotte (1965, ’69-82): A two-time Cup winner, Marcotte is 14th on Boston’s all-time goals list (230 goals) and 18th on the points leaderboard (484 points).
Bruins retire Rick Middleton’s number at TD Garden on November 29, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)
Charlie McAvoy (2017-present): Despite playing just 380 NHL games, McAvoy is already the 13th-highest scoring defenseman in team history with 230 points. There’s a good chance he’ll move into the top 10 assuming he’s healthy for the majority of the 2023-24 campaign, too.
Don McKenney (1954-62): A perennial Lady Byng contender (and winner in 1960) throughout his Bruins career, McKenney scored 195 goals and 462 points in 592 games with the Bruins, and led the NHL in assists (49) during the 1959-60 season.
Johnny ‘Pie’ McKenzie (1966-72): Out there for a ridiculous 19 seasons between the NHL and WHA, Johnny McKenzie had one hell of a career, but that career was at its best in Boston, where McKenzie won two Stanley Cup championships and was an All-Star in 1970. McKenzie finished his Boston career with 169 goals and 396 points in 454 games, and was over a point-per-game for the B’s during their playoff runs in both 1970 and 1972.
Peter McNab (1976-84): A Bruin for eight years, McNab totaled 263 goals and 587 points in 595 games with the Bruins, and had an impressive stretch of least 35 goals and 75 points in six straight seasons from 1976 through 1982.
Rick Middleton (1976-88): With the Bruins for 12 seasons, Middleton put together a stellar B’s run that featured 402 goals and 898 points in 881 games played. Middleton’s 402 goals are the fourth-most in Bruins history, while his 898 rank fifth.
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 7: Cam Neely at the 2005 Hockey Hall of Fame induction photo opportunity on November 7, 2005 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Mike Milbury (1975-87): The Boston, Mass. native is second on the club’s all-time penalty minutes leader list, with 1,552 minutes in the box. He also beat a man with his own shoe. But you already knew that.
Doug Mohns (1953-64): Another player who played both forward and defense, Mohns recorded 118 goals and 347 points in 711 games with the Bruins over 11 seasons. He finished fifth in voting for the Norris Trophy in 1957 after putting up six goals and 40 points in 68 games, and finished ninth in Hart Trophy voting in 1962.
Andy Moog (1987-93): Another goalie with a relatively short but impressive run with the Bruins, Moog posted 136 wins and an .886 save percentage in six seasons from the Bruins, and had a top-5 finish in the Vezina Trophy voting on three separate occasions over that span. Moog also won the 1990 Jennings Trophy with Reggie Lemelin.
Glen Murray (1991-95, 2001-08): A two-time Bruin, Glen Murray is one of 20 Bruins to score 200 goals with the franchise, and his 389 points in a Boston sweater are the 30th-most in team history. Murray is also one of the only Bruins player in team history to play with Ray Bourque, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara.
Cam Neely (1986-96): Before he was working in the B’s front office, Neely was busy scoring 50 goals in 44 games back in 1993-94, and put together a Bruins career that included the seventh-most goals in team history (344). Neely is also the only Bruins player other than Phil Esposito to have multiple 50-goal seasons with the club, with Neely having three 50-plus seasons (Esposito has five).
BOSTON – FEBRUARY 13: Former Boston Bruins player Terry O’Reilly shakes hands with John Bucyk during the ceremony honoring Bucyk for his 50 years with the Bruins organization before the game against the Edmonton Oilers on February 13, 2007 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins won 3-0. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Mike O’Connell (1980-86): Before the days of Krug and McAvoy, the Bruins’ best American-born defenseman was definitely Mike O’Connell. On the board with 70 goals and 269 points in 424 games with the Bruins, O’Connell’s best year with Boston came in 1982-83, with 14 goals and 53 points on the way to a eighth-place finish in the Norris race.
Willie O’Ree (1958, ’60-61): The most recent retired number raised to the TD Garden rafters, Willie O’Ree’s greatest impact for the Bruins and the NHL came off the ice, as O’Ree broke the game’s color barrier.
Terry O’Reilly (1972-85): Boston’s all-time penalty minute leader (2,095 minutes in penalties), O’Reilly also recorded 204 goals and 606 points over the course of a 14-year career spent entirely with the Bruins. O’Reilly’s best year with the Bruins was his 1977-78, which featured single-season career-highs in goals (29), assists (61), and points (90) for O’Reilly on the way to an eighth-place finish in the Hart Trophy race. O’Reilly is one of just 12 players in NHL history to have at least 200 goals, 600 points, and 2,000 penalty minutes.
Adam Oates (1992-97): The run probably wasn’t as long as it should have been, but Adam Oates went absolutely bananas throughout his time with the Bruins, with 142 goals and 499 points in 368 games with the franchise. His 499 points are the 17th-most in Bruins history.
Harry Oliver (1926-34): One of the game’s first true ‘speed and skill’ threats, Oliver put up 109 goals and 168 points in 353 games with the Bruins. Another perennial Lady Byng contender, it was said that Oliver was a “gentleman who never smoke or drank” and that Oliver was always “dressed to the nines.” Oliver also won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 1929.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 09: Bobby Orr attends Game One of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins during the Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Bobby Orr (1966-76): A nine-time All-Star, an eight-time Norris winner, a three-time Hart Trophy winner, two-time Art Ross winner, and two-time Conn Smythe winner. The greatest defenseman to ever play the game.
Brad Park (1975-83): Being the first stud defenseman in the post-Orr era should have been a terrifying experience. But Brad Park absolutely crushed it out of the park, with 100 goals and 417 points in 501 games over eight seasons with the Bruins. Over the course of his eight-season run with the Bruins, Park finished in the top-15 for the Hart Trophy voting four times and finished top-15 in the Norris Trophy voting six times.
David Pastrnak (2014-present): Another ‘fast riser’ on the franchise leaderboards, Pastrnak has already scored the eighth-most goals in team history (301) and tallied the 11th-most points in team history (617). Assuming he’s here and healthy for the majority of his eight-year deal that kicks in this season, Pastrnak has a legitimately great chance of becoming the leading goal scorer in the franchise’s history (Bucyk is the current leader on that front, with 545 goals in a Bruins uniform).
Barry Pederson (1980-86, ’91-92): With 166 goals in 379 games with Boston, Pederson ranks 25th on the club’s all-time goals list, while his 417 points are the 26th-most among all Black and Gold skaters.
Pete Peeters (1982-85): In Boston for four years, Peeters compiled a 91-58-16 record with the club, and won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 1982-83 behind a league-leading 40 wins, 2.37 goals against average, and eight shutouts.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the second period of the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden on October 22, 2019. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Johnny Peirson (1946-56): An 11-year Bruin, Peirson recorded 153 goals and 326 points in 544 games with the Bruins, and had four 20-goal seasons.
Bill Quackenbush (1949-56): First of all, what a name. Secondly, the 5-foot-11 defenseman spent the second half of his 14-year NHL career with Boston, where he scored 22 goals and totaled 155 points in 461 games and earned two All-Star nods over seven seasons.
Tuukka Rask (2007-22): Similar to defense, it’s hard to lose track of Boston’s goaltenders because of the organization’s absolutely ridiculous history at the position. But Tuukka Rask made sure his name isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, as Rask retired as the club’s all-time leader in wins (308) and save percentage (.921).
Jean Ratelle (1975-81): A six-season Bruin, Ratelle tallied 155 goals and 450 points in 419 games with the Bruins. 1976-77 was Ratelle’s best year in Boston, as he scored 33 goals and totaled 94 points in 78 games.
Mark Recchi (2009-11): I have to think that Recchi has the shortest resume of all the players on this list, with just 180 games with the Bruins over two seasons and change with the Bruins. But Recchi’s impact was immense, particularly on linemates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, and his presence helped the Bruins get through the storms that came their way during the 2011 postseason.
BOSTON – OCTOBER 10: Marc Savard #91 of the Boston Bruins is congratulated by teammates on the bench after his game winning goal in the overtime shootout against the New York Islanders on October 10, 2009 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Sergei Samsonov (1997-2006): The Russian winger wasted no time in Boston, with 22 goals and 47 points in 81 games on the way to a Calder Trophy win in 1997-98, and put forth a Boston career that included four seasons of at least 20 goals. Samsonov’s career year came in 2000-01, with a career-high 29 goals and 75 points for the B’s. Samsonov even helped the Bruins when leaving town, as the Bruins used the draft pick they acquired from the Oilers in exchange for Samsonov to draft Milan Lucic.
Derek Sanderson (1965-74): One of the most notorious and legendary players in Bruins history, Sanderson won the Calder Trophy in 1967-88 as the top rookie in the NHL behind a 24-goal, 49-point season, and helped the Bruins win Cups in 1970 and 1972. (His biography is also a must-read.)
Ed Sandford (1947-55): With the Bruins for eight of his nine NHL seasons, Sandford recorded 94 goals and 230 points in 442 games, and was an All-Star for the club in 1953-54.
Marc Savard (2006-11): Signed as a free agent along with Zdeno Chara in 2006, Marc Savard whipped up some absolutely delicious apples during his time as Boston’s top-line center, and totaled 74 goals and 305 points in 304 games with the B’s before concussion issues ended his career.
Bobby Schmautz (1974-80): On the Bruins for seven years, Schmautz recorded five straight seasons of at least 20 goals and compiled 134 goals and 295 points in 354 games with Boston.
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 05: The number 15 of Milt Schmidt, the Boston Bruins Hall of Fame center who died at age 98 yesterday, is displayed at TD Garden before a game with Edmonton Oilers on January 5, 2017. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Milt Schmidt (1936-42, ’45-55): The Ultimate Bruin. Mr. Bruin. Whatever your name of choice, let me assure you, Milt Schmidt was indeed him. A do-it-all figure for the Bruins over the course of his entire life, Schmidt’s playing career featured a resume headlined by 229 goals and 575 points in 776 games, along with four All-Star nods, a Hart Trophy in 1951, and two Stanley Cups.
Dennis Seidenberg (2010-16): Blocks have only been tracked as an official stat since 2005, but as you would imagine, Dennis Seidenberg is indeed near the top of that list for the Bruins, with his 808 blocks in a B’s uniform third on the all-time list behind (of course) Bergeron and Chara. Seidenberg was an absolute monster for the Bruins during their 2011 run, and gave the B’s a much-needed No. 2 behind/with Chara.
Gregg Sheppard (1972-78): A Bruin for six seasons, Sheppard scored 155 goals and 375 points with the Bruins, and had back-to-back-to-back seasons of at least 30 goals from 1974 through 1977.
Eddie Shore (1926-39): Old. Time. Hockey. In addition to being the face of what it meant to be a Bruin, Shore was a dominant player in his day, with four Hart Trophy wins as the league MVP, eight All-Star nods, and two Stanley Cup championships over the course of a 14-year career with the Bruins. Absolute legend.
Charlie Simmer (1984-87): In town for just three seasons, Simmer made his Boston tenure count, with at least 29 goals and 63 points in all three years, and 98 goals and 192 points in 198 total games with the Bruins. Simmer also won the Masterton Trophy with the Bruins during the 1985-86 season.
13 Oct 2000: Don Sweeney #32 of the Boston Bruins goes up against Craig Johnson #23 of the Los Angeles Kings during the game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. (Kellie Landis /Allsport)
Dallas Smith (1960-61, ’65-77): With the Bruins for 15 seasons, Smith appeared in 860 games with Boston (12th-most in team history), and his plus-331 rating is the third-best in franchise history behind Orr and Bourque. Smith’s plus-33 rating was the best in the NHL during the 1967-68 campaign.
Rick Smith (1968-72, ’76-80): A member of the 1970 championship team, Smith spent eight years with the B’s, and scored 36 goals and 161 points in 513 games.
Fred Stanfield (1967-73): In addition to winning Cups with the Bruins in ’70 and ’72, Stanfield is one of 28 Bruins to record at least 400 points with the organization, with 409 points in 448 games with the club.
Vic Stasiuk (1955-61): Joining the Bruins in 1955, Stasiuk recorded 125 goals and 291 points in 378 games with Boston.
Don Sweeney (1988-2003): One of the seven members in the Black and Gold’s 1,000-game club, Sweeney’s 1,052 games with the Bruins are actually the fourth-most in franchise history, trailing only Bergeron (1,294), Bucyk (1,436), and Bourque (1,518). Sweeney’s 262 points are also the 10th-most among all Boston defensemen.
VANCOUVER, BC – JUNE 15: Tim Thomas #30 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Tim Thomas (2002-03, ’05-12): I will go to my grave saying that the wire-to-wire excellence of Tim Thomas in 2010-11 was the wildest thing I’ve ever experienced as a sports fan/observer/writer. Oh, and he won three Game 7 contests on the way to a Stanley Cup. Just a superhuman performance for the ages.
Tiny Thompson (1928-38): Another contender for the title of greatest goalie in Bruins history, Thompson held the franchise record for career wins (252 wins) before Tuukka Rask broke the record eight decades later. Thompson does still have a team record that simply won’t be touched, though, as his Bruins career included an absurd 74 shutouts. Thompson was also a four-time Vezina winner and four-time All-Star during his time with the Bruins, and helped Boston capture their first-ever Stanley Cup with a playoff run that included a perfect 5-0 record with three shutouts and a 0.60 goals against average.
Joe Thornton (1997-2005): A Bruin for the first seven and a half years of his career, Thornton recorded 169 goals and 454 points in 532 games with the Bruins.
Shawn Thornton (2007-14): The great thing about this list is that it doesn’t have to be the 100 best Bruins of all time. The word ‘legendary’ allows some flexibility, and Shawn Thornton’s inclusion confirms exactly that. A fourth-line identity piece, Thornton was as likable as any Bruin in their 21st century revival, and was a key piece on that beloved ‘Merlot Line’ that helped turn tide after tide for Claude Julien’s club.
Jerry Toppazzini (1952-54, ’56-64): A veteran of 661 games in a Boston uniform, Toppazzini put forth a B’s career that featured 151 goals and 369 points.
BOSTON – OCTOBER 27: Shawn Thornton #22 of the Boston Bruins and Riley Cote #32 of the Philadelphia Flyers exchange punches on October 27, 2007 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Carol Vadnais (1972-75): With the Bruins for parts of five seasons, Vadnais scored 47 goals and 181 points in 263 games, and won a Stanley Cup with Boston in 1972.
Cooney Weiland (1928-32, ’35-39): I feel like history will eventually push guys like Cooney Weiland out of frame (if it hasn’t already), but I really don’t want it to. Let me explain: From 1917 through 1929, nobody had seen a better season than the 1927-28 campaign put forth by Howie Morenz, which saw the Canadiens legend record 51 points in 43 games. But in comes Weiland in 1929-30 and Weiland absolutely shatters his record, with a ridiculous 73 points in 44 games. That’s a 22-point jump! Weiland didn’t sustain that pace for the rest of his career, of course, but that breakthrough was absolutely nuts for its time, and Weiland finished his Bruins career with 131 goals and 238 points in 365 games with Boston.
John Wensink (1976-80): Wensink spent four years with the Bruins, and recorded 57 goals and 112 points in 248 games, including a career-best 28 goals and 46 points in 76 games in 1978-79. His most iconic moment, however, will always be him challenging an entire bench to a fight.
Glen Wesley (1987-94): The third overall pick from the 1987 NHL Draft, Wesley recorded 77 goals and 307 points in 537 games with the B’s.
Eddie Westfall (1961-72): With the Bruins for the first 11 years an 18-year NHL career, Westfall recorded 126 goals and 339 points in 733 games with the Bruins, and was part of the 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup championship runs.
