Boston Bruins: Top 30 Players In Bruins History

The Boston Bruins are the NHL’s oldest American franchise. The Bruins have been around since 1924, and have been considered by most to be part of the NHL’s Original Six teams. While it’s hard to rate every last man who has ever wore the Bruins jersey(in all its incarnations), the team at Causeway Crowd will attempt to come up with the absolute best of the best here.

From Causeway Crowd’s Matt Pueschel:

Puck Prose

There were some very tough choices and other deserving players too so this is by no means a perfect list. I used ‘body of work’ primarily, but also looked at ‘high impact’ and ‘consummate Bruin’ as other criteria. It would have also been good to see what bright young stars that burnt out all too quickly such as Normand Leveille (cerebral aneurysm at 19), Gord Kluzak (only played 4 full seasons due to injuries) or Gilles Gilbert (who had a few stellar years for B’s before eventually leaving for Detroit) could have done over a whole career.

This also has to exclude elite talents Tyler Seguin and Joe Thornton if management had not been so trigger-happy to trade them. Sergei Samsonov easily could have made the list, having scored 164 goals and 376 points in 514 games for the B’s, and David Krejci has 433 points in 573 games. Other tried and true Bruins deserve credit too for the consistent hard-working roles they filled like Ed Westfall, Stan Jonathan and Teddy Green, who continued playing solid D into the early ’70s for Boston with a metal plate in his head even after enduring a life-threatening injury from a stick fight in 1969.

Next: #30 should be familiar to even new fans

#30 Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas didn’t end up winning the Bruins starting position until he was 32 years old. Thomas overcame surgeries and struggles to help get the Boston Bruins back as a legitimate Cup contender. He was the first goalie to win three straight All-Star MVP awards. Tim Thomas will always be remembered by this generation of hockey fans for bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston in 2011. He was the first American-born goaltender to win the Conn Smythe that year as well.

Next: #29

#29 Barry Pederson

Pederson was one of those players who started their NHL career in Boston but won a Stanley Cup playing for another team. Pederson came in firing on all cylinders for the Bruins. His 92 point rookie season(1981-82) (44 goals) still stands as a benchmark for all Bruins to compete against. Pederson was a point making machine for the Black and Gold. The 82-83 season saw him put up 107 points. The year after that his total climbed to 116. Shoulder surgery caused his production to take a serious drop and Bruins GM Harry Sinden traded Pederson to the Vancouver Canucks for Cam Neely.

Next: #28

#28 Jean Ratelle

The two-time Lady Byng award winner had a twenty-one season NHL career. During that extensive career, Ratelle was still able to average nearly a point per game. Ratelle came over to the Bruins in a trade that saw future Bruins legend Phil Esposito leave for the New York Rangers. He ended up playing six seasons for the Black and Gold. Ratelle was one of the Bruins players who was promoted up to coaching after his career ended, spending several seasons as an assistant coach for the B’s. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.

Next: #27

#27 Derek Sanderson

Sanderson is still regarded as one of the toughest players to suit up in a Bruins uniform. His 67-68 rookie season saw him win the respect of his opponents and fans, and the Calder Cup for the best rookie player. Sanderson was part of two Stanley Cup teams for Boston (1970, 1972). He was also the player that passed the puck to Bobby Orr moments before that leaping goal was immortalized in hockey history. While Sanderson’s career soon spiraled down after leaving Boston, he has endeared himself to Bruins fans over the years.

Next: #26

#26 Peter McNab

McNab was one of the Bruins who was involved in the infamous incident at Madison Square Garden back in 1979. McNab only made it to one NHL All-Star Game (1977)He played seven season for the Black and Gold, putting up at least seventy points in all of them. He was reliable, dependable, and vicious for the Bruins in his tenure.

Next: #25

#25 Fred Stanfield

Fred Stanfield was another member of the Bruins 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup Champion teams. Stanfield was traded with Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge to the Bruins by the Chicago Blackhawks. (This trade is still regarded as one of the biggest one-sided trades in hockey history.) Stanfield centered the Bruins second line of Johnny Bucyk and Johnny McKenzie (still regarded as one of the best second lines in Bruins history.) In his six seasons with the Bruins, he scored at least twenty goals a season.

Stanfield was also known as one of the cleanest players to play the game. Throughout his NHL career, Stanfield only exceeded 20 penalty minutes in a season once in his career (Boston 68-69).

Next: #24

#24 Cooney Weiland

Cooney Weiland was part of the team that helped the Boston Bruins win their first Stanley Cup in 1929. He held the single season scoring record in the NHL for thirteen years.  After playing around the league, he returned to Boston to help the team win their second Stanley Cup in 1939. He then switched to coaching and was the Bruins bench boss as the B’s earned their third Cup in 1941.  He ended up playing eight seasons as a member of the Black and Gold and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971.

Next: #23

#23 Dallas Smith

Smith was part of the 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup teams. A four time NHL All-Star Smith played on the blue line with Bobby Orr. He played fifteen seasons in the Bruins organization, and was a consistent leader in the plus/minus category throughout his tenure in Boston.

Next: #22 is still around in the NHL

#22 Adam Oates

Oates had a nineteen year career in the NHL, with six of them in Boston. Oates put up an astonishing 142 points during the 1992-93 season for the B’s. Four of his five trips to the All-Star Game were made in a Bruins uniform.  His departure from Boston came due to Oates unleashing an epic anti-management rant in public. He went on to coaching and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Next: #21

#21 Woody Dunmart

Dumart was part of the infamous “Kraut line” for the Boston Bruins. Dunmart started with the organization in 1935 and remained with the team until the end of the 1953-54 season. Dunmart only stopped playing hockey due to the outbreak of World War II where he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force. Dunmart played sixteen seasons for the Black and Gold, putting up 429 points (211 goals). He turned his sights to coaching after retiring, becoming the coach of the Bruins alumni team for a generation. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Next: #20

#20 Ken Hodge

Hodge was anomaly for the Bruins, being one of the few British born players in the NHL.  Hodge was part of the Bruins 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup teams. Hodge was part of a very rare occurrence in the history of the NHL. In 1971 Hodge would break the league record for points in a season by a winger (105) and finish fourth in NHL scoring. That year, Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk and Hodge finished as the top four players in overall scoring. Hodge was repeat this trick in 1974 with fellow Bruins Esposito, Orr, himself and Wayne Cashman. He finished with 800 points in 881 games.

Next: #19

#19 Frank Brimsek

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Frank Brimsek played a total of 444 games over nine seasons as a member of the Boston Bruins. Over those nine seasons, Brimzek compiled 230 wins, 70 ties, and never had a losing season. Having led the league in wins twice in 1938-39 with 33, and 1939-40 with 31, Brimzek truly earned his place on this list. Frank Brimsek was the man responsible for bringing the Stanley Cup home to the Bruins for only the second time in franchise history in 1939. Brimsek had eight wins, and playoff-high 1.25 GAA led the Bruins to success. Brimsek wasn’t content with only one Stanley Cup win however, as he won a playoff-high eight wins in the 1941 playoffs and helped the Bruins earn their third Stanley Cup in franchise history. Brimsek ranks second among Bruins goaltenders in franchise history in minutes played with 27010, as well as wins, with 230, and shutouts with 35. Brimsek was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.

Next: #18

18 – Lionel Hitchman

Hitchman and Eddie Shore formed one of the best defensive pairs ever seen in the history of the NHL. Hitchman was regarded as the finest defenseman of his era, and was part of the 1929 Stanley Cup team, and is credited for being one of the first players to wear a helmet.  Hitchman was one of those player-coaches who helped set the tone of the storied Bruins-Canadiens rivalry. Hitchman was one of the first bad boys of the NHL, putting up 534 minutes of penalties in his 400 games.

Next: #17 is an active fan-favorite

#17 Patrice Bergeron

(From Causeway Crowd’s Joe Kelly)

 Patrice Bergeron is to the Bruins what Tom Brady is to the Patriots. Bergeron has not reached the celebrity status in Boston that Brady has reached, no matter how well deserved it would be, but is undoubtedly a fan favorite in Boston

Bergeron was drafted 45th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft and immediately saw ice time in the NHL and aside from one season stuck in the minors, Bergy has played a key role in the Bruins locker room. With nearly 600 career points in 12 career seasons (although two were significantly short thanks to injuries.) Bergeron has led the Bruins by example, and that’s why we love him. On and off the ice Bergeron leads the way by example. Clutch playoff performance after clutch playoff performance has Bergeron mentioned in David Ortiz category in terms of carrying their teams in the postseason. Bergeron’s off-ice leadership is almost more impressive than his on-ice role. Bergeron hosts children at every Bruins home game as a part of his charity “Patrice’s Pals” and is a major player in the charity events hosted by the Bruins each year.

Bergy’s humbleness and leadership in addition to his elite skill level is why he will always have a special place in the hearts of Bruins fans.

Next: #16

#16 Wayne Cashman

Cashman was a contemporary of Bobby Orr, and a member of the 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup teams. Cashman was a lifelong Bruin, playing fifteen seasons in Boston. He scored at least twenty goals eight times in his career. He was on the line with Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge acting as a set-up man for the other two. When he wasn’t setting up the big plays for his linemates, he was an enforcer whose job was to help protect Bobby Orr. He was captain of the team for five seasons. After retiring from playing, Cashman worked his way around the league as a coach, eventually returning to Boston to serve as a coach from 2001 to 2006.

Cashman was the last active player from the NHL’s Original Six era to retire from the game.

Next: #15

#15 Brad Park

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Brad Park was the key returning member of the trade that sent Phil Esposito to the New York Rangers. Park immediately became a force for the Bruins, and in his nearly eight seasons with Boston, Park put up 417 points, a point total that is only surpassed by Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr. Park truly exemplified the “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” saying by being the runner-up for the Norris Trophy in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, and twice while with the Bruins in 1976 and 1978. Every team wants a Norris Trophy winner, but not every team has the opportunity to employ a consistent Norris Trophy contender. Brad Park came to the Bruins at the expense of one of the most loved Bruins of all time, but he was good enough that the fans didn’t seem to mind in the long-run. Park was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Next: #14

#14 Gerry Cheevers

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

No goaltender list involving the Boston Bruins would be complete without Gerry Cheevers. Playing in 416 regular season games, Cheevers put up 229 wins, and 26 shutouts along with 74 ties. Cheevers also put together an impressive playoff resume, having played in 88 games in the post-season, winning 53 of them, which also ranks first in franchise history, and posting eight shutouts. With a record of 12-1 in the playoffs in 1970, Cheevers led the Bruin to their fourth cup in franchise history, and two seasons later, helped the Bruins to their fifth cup. Cheevers retired in 1980 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Next: #13

#13 Zdeno Chara

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Zdeno Chara joined the Boston Bruins in 2006, and it was clear that the team was getting something special. Chara was named captain upon signing, and close to a decade later, the decision still looks pretty good. Standing at 6-foot-9, Chara is impossible to miss on the ice. His skill-set has allowed the Bruins to be competitive in just about every season that he’s been in Boston, ranging from his stellar defensive ability to his booming (and record-holding) 108.8 Miles Per Hour slap shot. Zdeno Chara has participated in six all-star games, five of which during his tenure with the Bruins, including 2012 when he was a captain of one of the two teams.

A Norris Trophy winner in 2009, and finalist in 2011, 2012, and 2014, Chara has been consistently acknowledged as one of the leagues best. Zdeno Chara helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Next: #12

#12 Terry O’ Reilly

Terry O’ Reilly will likely go down as one of the finest enforcers the Bruins ever had. He earned over two hundred points in penalties for five straight seasons. O’Reilly finished his career with thirteen NHL seasons (all in Boston) with over two thousand penalty minutes. He was part of the infamous event at Madison Square Garden in 1979, where O’Reilly climbed the glass to engage spectators in a brawl that led to an eight game suspension. He was captain of the team for his final two seasons in Boston.

After retiring, he became the Boston Bruins head coach for two seasons, taking the Bruins to the Stanley Cup final in 1988.

The Bruins chose to retire his number in 2002.

Next: #11

#11 Dit Clapper

Aubrey “Dit” Clapper was a player for the Boston Bruins for twenty seasons, the first NHL player to do so.  He scored his first NHL goal ten seconds into his first shift, and he never looked back. He was one of those rare players who was an All-Star forward and defenseman.

Clapper was a player who earned singular honors that have yet to be matched by any other Boston Bruin. He is the only Bruin to be a member of three separate Stanley Cup teams. (1929, 1939, 1941) Clapper was the only player-coach in the history of the organization. On his last game as a player, the Bruins chose to retire his number. The Hockey Hall of Fame also chose to induct him that same day, making him the only active player to be awarded that honor.

He coached the team for four more seasons, getting the Bruins to the Cup Finals in the 1945-46 season. The Bruins never finished below third in the standings during his tenure as a coach.

Next: #10

#9 Rick Middleton

Rick Middleton was traded to the Boston Bruins by the New York Rangers for Ken Hodge at the end of the 1975-76 season. Middleton scored a hat trick for the Bruins in his very first game. He tallied nearly nine hundred points over the next twelve seasons for the Black and Gold. Middleton had five straight seasons of  forty-plus goals and ninety-plus points for the B’s. When Terry O’ Reilly retired from playing, he and Ray Bourque were named co-captains for the team until his retirement. He and Ken Hodge hold the record for the most amount of points scored by a Boston winger in a single season with 105.

Next: #8

#8 Bill Cowley

Bill Cowley was a member of two Stanley Cup teams (1939, 1941). He won the league scoring title in 1941. During the 1943-44 season, Cowley was able to generate 1.97 points/game, a feat only surpassed by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.  Cowley was capable of substantial production for the Bruins, despite battling injuries throughout his entire career. When he retired in 1947, he had put up 548 points in 549 games. He was the only player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 1968.

#7 Cecil “Tiny” Thompson

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Tiny Thompson could be considered the best goalie in the history of the Boston Bruins franchise. His 252 wins over 10 seasons with the Bruins rank first in franchise history, and he also holds the distinction for best Goals Against Average also. Over a career 468 games, Thompson earned an astounding 1.99 Goals Against Average. Thompson also holds the record for most shutouts in franchise record for shutouts with 74, the next highest in franchise history is 35. Thompson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959 and was the man in net for the Bruins first Stanley Cup victory in 1929. Over the 1929 Stanley Cup playoff run, Thompson won five games, recorded a shutout in three, and finished with a Goals Against Average of 0.60.

Next: #6

#6 Ray Bourque

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Ray Bourque was not only one of the best point-scorers in Bruins history, but he was also one of the best point-scorers in the history of the league, ranking 11th all-time with 1579 points. Ray Bourque skated in 1518 career games with the Boston Bruins which ranks first in franchise history, as do his 1506 points. Ray Bourque also tops the list of franchise categories in assists, power play goals, and is the NHL leader in points among defensemen. Much like Bobby Orr before him, Ray Bourque was honored numerous times for his defensive ability, having won five Norris trophies in his career. Bourque was also honored as a First or Second Team All-Star in 19 of his 21 career seasons. Ray Bourque will always be recognized as one of the best NHL players of all time, and even more-so, having been the longest tenured captain in franchise history, as one of the greatest Boston Bruins of all time. Ray Bourque was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2004.

Next: #5

#5 Phil Esposito

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

When discussing best goal scorers in the history of the NHL, Phil Esposito’s name is a lock to come up in discussion. Having won the Hart Trophy twice, as well as five Art Ross trophies, and eight consecutive All Star honors as a member of the Boston Bruins, it’s no wonder why either. Phil Esposito led the Bruins in points five time sin his career, and ranks third all-time in points among the Bruins with 1012 points. He also ranks second in goals with 459, and ranks first in points-per-game with 1.62. Esposito is securely sitting in the 10th position for all-time points scored in NHL history, which made his Hall of Fame induction in 1984 a surprise to absolutely no one. Phil Esposito was an integral piece of their two Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972.

Next: #4

#4 Eddie Shore

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Eddie Shore spent parts of 14 seasons with the Boston Bruins, and was a part of their two first Stanley Cup victories in 1929 and in 1939. If Norris Trophies were awarded to the NHL’s best defenseman at the time, then Shore would have surely been awarded a few throughout his career. The Hart trophy did exist, however, and Shore was the recipient of four Hart Trophy victories. Eddie Shore ranks sixth in franchise history with the Bruins with 279 points, as well as sixth in penalty minutes with 1038. It should be noted that the NHL season lengths were considerably shorter at the time — roughly half of what they are now — which makes his totals even more impressive when pro-rated. Eddie Shore was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.

Next: #3

#3 Milt Schmidt

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Milt Schmidt did everything for the Boston Bruins during his 16 year career. From serving as the captain of the team, to coaching, and even becoming the general manager, Milt Schmidt truly enveloped what it meant to be a gentleman of the sport. Milt Schmidt led the NHL in points in the 1940 season, and won the Hart Trophy in 1951, but what’s most impressive about Milt Schmidt was probably the three-year leave of absence he took from the NHL to serve in World War II. Shmidt was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1961, and his legacy will never be forgotten in Boston.

Next: #2 should be a surprise to nobody

#2 Johnny Bucyk

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

The Chief, Johnny Bucyk, is a guarantee to make any list involving top Bruins players in history.. Having played in Boston for 21 seasons, and wearing the captaincy for five, Bucyk certainly earned his place in the hearts of Bruins fans, and for good reason too. Johnny Bucyk’s is currently first in franchise history in goals with 545, second in assists with 794, second in points with 1339, and second in-game splayed with 1436. The Chief was a member of the Bruins two cup wins in 1970 and 1972, and was a seven-time all star, with two Lady Byng awards to top it all off. Bucyk was inducted to the hall of fame in 1981.

Next: And finally...#1

#1 Bobby Orr

(From Causeway Crowd’s Brandon Share-Cohen)

Bobby Orr is considered to be the greatest defenseman of all time, and is surely among the best players of all time with the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux and others. Bobby Orr ranks first in Bruins franchise history in plus-minus with an outstanding plus-589 rating, which also happens to be second all-time. His 1.41 points-per-game, which also ranks first among Bruins in franchise history, surely contributed to such a high plus-minus rating as well. Bobby Orr is also the NHL record-holder for points in a single season by a defenseman with 139, which was simply one of his six-consecutive 100+ point seasons.The list of trophies Orr received were numerous, including a record eight Norris Trophies, two Art Ross trophies, and three consecutive Hart trophies. Bobby Orr’s contributions to the Bruins resulted in two Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972, and even earned him a statue outside of the Garden. Number 4 will always be #1 in the hearts of Bruins fans, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.