History of the Boston Bruins facts for kids
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team with a long and exciting history! They started playing in 1924, making them the oldest professional hockey team in the United States and the third oldest still playing in the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Bruins are one of the "Original Six" NHL teams, alongside the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have won the amazing Stanley Cup championship six times! They've also won the Presidents' Trophy four times, including in 2023 when they set an NHL record with 135 points in one season.
The Bruins first played at the Boston Arena, which is the world's oldest indoor ice hockey building still used today. From 1928 to 1995, they played at the Boston Garden. Now, their home is the TD Garden.
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Starting Strong: The Early Years (1924–1942)
In 1924, a Boston businessman named Charles Adams loved hockey so much that he convinced the NHL to expand to the United States. He bought a team for Boston for $15,000! This made the Bruins the first NHL team based in the USA. Adams hired Art Ross, a former star player, to be the team's general manager. Ross was a huge part of the Bruins for the next 30 years.
Adams asked Ross to pick a nickname that showed speed and cleverness. Ross chose "Bruins," a name for brown bears from old stories. The team's first colors, brown and yellow, came from Adams' grocery stores.
The Bruins played their very first NHL game on December 1, 1924, at the Boston Arena. They won 2–1 against the Montreal Maroons, with Smokey Harris scoring the first Bruins goal! However, that first season was tough, and they finished last. Just a week later, one of hockey's biggest rivalries began when the Montreal Canadiens played the Bruins for the first time.
The Bruins got much better in their second season. In 1926–27, Art Ross brought in amazing players from other leagues, like the legendary defenseman Eddie Shore. Shore became one of the greatest players ever! In their first playoffs, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Ottawa Senators. During that series, a Bruins player named Billy Coutu attacked a referee and was banned from the NHL forever.
The 1928–29 season was special because the Bruins moved into the new Boston Garden. In 1929, the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup, beating the New York Rangers! Key players on that team included Shore, Harry Oliver, Dit Clapper, and amazing goaltender Tiny Thompson.
The next season, 1929–30, the Bruins had an incredible regular season, winning 38 out of 44 games! This record for best winning percentage still stands today. But they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Bruins of the 1930s were very strong, often leading the league. In 1939, they won their second Stanley Cup. A new rookie goaltender, Frank Brimsek, joined the team and was nicknamed "Mr. Zero" for his amazing play. He won two big awards in his first year! The team also had stars like Bill Cowley, Shore, Clapper, and the famous "Kraut line" of Milt Schmidt, Bobby Bauer, and Woody Dumart.
In 1941, the Bruins won their third Stanley Cup, finishing first in the regular season. This would be their last Cup for 29 years. World War II greatly affected the team, as many star players, including Brimsek and the "Krauts," joined the military.
The "Original Six" Era (1942–1967)
By 1942, the NHL had only six teams, known as the "Original Six." Many players were still away fighting in World War II.
In 1944, Bruins player Herb Cain set an NHL record for points in a season. The team made the playoffs often in the late 1940s. A surprising event happened in 1948 when young star Don Gallinger was suspended for life due to suspicions of gambling on his own team.
Around 1948–49, the Bruins introduced their famous "spoked-B" logo, which looked like a wheel with spokes. It showed the team's founding year (1924) and the current year. This logo, with small changes, is still used today!
In the 1950s, the team got a new owner, Walter A. Brown, who also owned the Boston Celtics basketball team. The Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times in the 1950s but lost to the Montreal Canadiens each time. From 1960 to 1967, the Bruins struggled and missed the playoffs for eight years in a row.
A cool fact: In 1954, the Bruins were the first NHL team to get a "Zamboni" ice resurfacing machine for their home arena!
On January 18, 1958, a historic moment happened when Willie O'Ree became the first black person to play in the NHL, playing for the Bruins. He played 45 games for the team.
Expansion and the "Big Bad Bruins" (1967–1979)
In 1964, the Adams family bought the Bruins back and started rebuilding the team. They signed a young defenseman named Bobby Orr in 1966. Many people believe Orr became the greatest hockey player of all time! He won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season.
The next season, the Bruins made the playoffs and started an amazing streak of 29 straight playoff appearances! The Bruins also made a huge trade, getting talented forwards Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield from Chicago. Esposito became the league's top scorer and the first NHL player to get over 100 points in a season. With other stars like Johnny Bucyk, John McKenzie, Derek Sanderson, and goalie Gerry Cheevers, the "Big Bad Bruins" became one of the best teams in the league.
In 1970, after 29 years, the Bruins finally won the Stanley Cup again! They beat the St. Louis Blues in four games. Bobby Orr scored the game-winning goal in overtime, a famous moment where he flew through the air after scoring. That season, Orr won four major awards, something no other player has ever done in one year!
The 1970–71 season was incredible for the Bruins. They set many scoring records and had seven of the league's top ten scorers! Four Bruins players (Orr, Esposito, Bucyk, and Hodge) were named first-team All-Stars. Everyone thought they would win the Cup again, but they lost in the playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Bruins bounced back in 1972 and won their fifth Stanley Cup, beating the New York Rangers.
The 1972–73 season brought some changes. Coach Tom Johnson was fired, and some players left for a new league called the World Hockey Association. The Adams family also sold the team. In 1974, the Bruins were back on top in the regular season but lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Don Cherry became the new coach in 1974–75. The Bruins became known as the "Lunch Pail A.C." – a tough, hardworking team with players like Gregg Sheppard, Terry O'Reilly, Stan Jonathan, and Peter McNab. This was Bobby Orr's last full season before knee injuries ended his career.
In 1976, the Bruins traded Esposito to the Rangers for Brad Park and Jean Ratelle. This was a big trade, but the Bruins ended up getting the better deal. Park became a top defenseman, filling the gap left by Orr's injuries.
The Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals again in 1977 and 1978, but both times they lost to the powerful Montreal Canadiens. After the 1978 series, Johnny Bucyk, a long-time Bruins star, retired.
In 1979, a famous fight happened after a game against the New York Rangers. Bruins players, including Terry O'Reilly and Mike Milbury, went into the stands to confront fans. Milbury even took a fan's shoe and hit him with it! This wild moment is still talked about today.
The Ray Bourque Era (1979–2000)
In 1979, the Bruins drafted Ray Bourque, who became one of the greatest defensemen of all time and the face of the team for over 20 years. The Bruins made the playoffs every year in the 1980s with stars like Bourque, Rick Middleton, and goalie Pete Peeters. In 1983, they had the best record in the league.
Bourque, along with Cam Neely and Keith Crowder, led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Bruins lost, but a memorable moment happened when the lights went out at the Boston Garden during a game! This event helped push the team to build a new arena. The Bruins returned to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1990 but lost to the Oilers again.
From 1988 to 1994, the Bruins finally started beating their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, in the playoffs, getting some revenge for many past losses. However, they lost in the Conference Finals twice to the Mario Lemieux-led Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 1992–93 season was disappointing, even though the Bruins had a great regular season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. Many Bruins players were nominated for awards that year, showing how talented the team was.
The 1995 season was the Bruins' last at the old Boston Garden. They moved into the new FleetCenter, now called the TD Garden. In 1997, the Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 years, ending a huge streak!
In 1999–2000, general manager Harry Sinden wanted Ray Bourque to have a chance to win a Stanley Cup before he retired. So, Bourque was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.
Challenges in the New Millennium (2000–2007)
The 1999–2000 season was tough, and the Bruins missed the playoffs. In 2000, a player named Marty McSorley was suspended for hitting an opponent with his stick.
The Bruins improved in the next few seasons, winning their division in 2001–02 with players like Joe Thornton, Sergei Samsonov, and Bill Guerin. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2003–04, rookie goalie Andrew Raycroft won the Calder Trophy. The Bruins won their division again but lost in the first round to the Canadiens after leading the series 3–1.
The 2004–05 NHL season was canceled due to a lockout. When play resumed, the Bruins traded their captain, Joe Thornton, to the San Jose Sharks. They missed the playoffs for the first time in five years.
In 2006, the Bruins hired Peter Chiarelli as their new general manager. They also signed two big stars: defenseman Zdeno Chara, who became the new team captain, and forward Marc Savard. The team finished last in their division in 2006–07.
A New Era and Stanley Cup Glory (2007–2015)
After a tough season, Claude Julien became the new head coach in 2007. The Bruins also got a new logo!
The 2008 season saw the Bruins play much better, making the playoffs and pushing the Montreal Canadiens to a seven-game series. Young players like Milan Lucic and David Krejci showed great promise.
In 2008–09, the Bruins had the best record in the Eastern Conference. Captain Zdeno Chara set an NHL record for the fastest shot! They beat the Canadiens in the playoffs but then lost to the Carolina Hurricanes.
In 2009, star forward Phil Kessel was traded to Toronto for future draft picks. One of those picks was used to draft Tyler Seguin.
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On January 1, 2010, the Bruins won the 2010 NHL Winter Classic, an outdoor game played at Fenway Park! Later that season, young goalie Tuukka Rask became the team's main goaltender. The Bruins made the playoffs but lost in the second round to the Philadelphia Flyers after leading the series 3–0.
In 2010, Cam Neely, a former Bruins star, became the new team president.
Winning the Stanley Cup (2010–2015)
The Bruins made some important trades in 2011, bringing in players like Chris Kelly and Tomas Kaberle.
In the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins had an amazing run! They beat the Montreal Canadiens in seven games, even after being down 2–0 in the series. Then they swept the Philadelphia Flyers and defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990.
They faced the Vancouver Canucks in the Finals. The Bruins lost the first two games, but then came back strong, winning Game 3 by a huge score of 8–1! They won Game 4 with a shutout. The series went to a Game 7 in Vancouver. The Bruins won 4–0, with two goals each from Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, to win their sixth Stanley Cup! This ended a 39-year wait. The 2011 Bruins were the first team in NHL history to win three Game 7s in one playoff run.
After their Cup win, the Bruins raised their championship banner at the TD Garden. They had a great 2011–12 season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Washington Capitals in a very close seven-game series.
Before the 2012–13 season, goalie Tim Thomas decided to sit out the season, and Tuukka Rask became the main goalie. Young defenseman Dougie Hamilton joined the team. The Bruins acquired former All-Star Jaromir Jagr during the season.
In the 2013 playoffs, the Bruins had another incredible comeback! They were down 4–1 in the third period of Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs but scored three goals late to tie it. Patrice Bergeron then scored in overtime to win the series! This was the first time a team came back from a three-goal deficit in the third period to win a playoff game. The Bruins then swept the Pittsburgh Penguins to reach the Stanley Cup Finals again, facing the Chicago Blackhawks. It was a very close series, with three games going to overtime, but the Bruins lost in six games.
In the 2013–14 season, the Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the league. But they lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens.
The 2014–15 season was disappointing, as the Bruins missed the playoffs by just two points. They set a record for the most points (96) by a team that didn't make the playoffs.
The Don Sweeney Era (2015–Present)
In 2015, former player Don Sweeney became the Bruins' new general manager. In 2016, the Bruins reached 3,000 wins in their history, a huge milestone shared only with the Canadiens! However, they missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.
During the 2016–17 season, coach Claude Julien was fired, and Bruce Cassidy took over. Cassidy's changes helped the team play faster, and they made the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They lost in the first round.
Cassidy returned as coach for the 2017–18 season, leading the Bruins to 50 wins and another playoff appearance. Young players like Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy played very well. They beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second.
In the 2018–19 season, the Bruins had another strong year. They beat the Maple Leafs in seven games again in the first round of the playoffs. Then they defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets and swept the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Prince of Wales Trophy and reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals! They faced the St. Louis Blues, a rematch of the 1970 Finals. This time, the Blues won in seven games.
During the 2019–20 season, the Bruins were the best team in the league when the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were awarded the Presidents' Trophy again. David Pastrnak was the league's top goal scorer, winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. In the playoffs, the Bruins won their first round but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In the 2020–21 season, the Bruins made the playoffs again, beating the Washington Capitals but losing to the New York Islanders. The next season, 2021–22, they made the playoffs as a wild card but lost in seven games. After that season, coach Cassidy was fired, and Jim Montgomery became the new head coach.
The 2022–23 season was historic for the Bruins! They broke NHL records for the most wins in a season (65) and most points in a season (135). They were the fastest team to reach 100 points and 50 wins in NHL history. Despite their amazing regular season, they lost in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs to the Florida Panthers in seven games, after leading the series 3–1. After the season, long-time captain and star player Patrice Bergeron retired, having won a record six Selke Trophies as the league's best defensive forward. Fellow long-time Bruin David Krejci also announced his retirement.
