Boston Bruins: The Rivalry With The Montreal Canadiens.
The Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens have played each other nine hundred and ten times in the history of the franchises. Overall, the Canadiens have gotten the better of the Black and Gold over the years. It hasn’t stopped the Bruins winning two out of the last three playoff series against the bleu, blanc, et rouge.
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If you’ve ever been in a debate with a Habs fan, the argument usually boils down to the usual “We have 24 Cups!”. Sure, they’ve won more Cups than any other team in the league. But when you ask them if they’ve won a Cup this century, they tend to get cranky. If you follow that up by asking them have they ever won a Cup since the salary cap got engaged, you usually get profanity followed by “Twenty-four Cups!”
I’ve learned to respect most members of the Canadiens organization (and I’m sure the same is true on the other side). Habs fans wish they had Patrice Bergeron, and there are some Bruins fans who would love to have Carey Price. Habs fans took great pleasure in seeing us not in the playoffs this season (the same way we did when the Habs failed to do so in 2011-12). There will always be some serious animosity between these two clubs.
Even with the rivalry, the Canadiens front office appreciates the history these two teams have together. Geoff Molson, the Canadiens’ Owner, President, and CEO, understands the tradition all too well. He talked about it during today’s press conference covering the upcoming Winter Classic.
“The Boston Bruins are one of our oldest rivals and the history between our two clubs is unparalleled. They were our logical opponent for our Centennial game in December 2009, and to make history together once more by returning to hockey’s roots in an outdoor setting is something everyone throughout our organization is greatly anticipating. That the setting for the game will be Gillette Stadium, home to an iconic franchise like the New England Patriots, only adds to what we’re certain will be an incredible and memorable atmosphere for players and fans alike.”
‘Incredible and memorable atmosphere’.
Well, he’s got that right. There are no two teams in the league who are more willing to go at each other with homicidal abandon and serious gusto.
The Boston Bruins are slated to take on the Canadiens in the 2016 Winter Classic. This is the Bruins’ second time as participant and host. While the jerseys for the upcoming contest haven’t been revealed, they’re likely to be a throwback to the earliest days of the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry. This is one of the oldest and most magnificent rivalries in all of professional sport, and it is great to see the rivalry continue in such an impressive venue.