Zander Manning: Building an All-Centennial team for the Bruins
Going into this season, the Boston Bruins become the first team in the United States to celebrate 100 years in the National Hockey League.
The two teams in the NHL that are older than the Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs and arch-rival Montreal Canadiens, celebrated their centennial anniversaries in 2017, but now it is Boston’s time to shine and celebrate their anniversary.
They will have several promotions throughout the year to celebrate each era, each coming at different times throughout the year.
In two years, the rest of the “Original Six” will celebrate in two years when the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks will all hit the 100-year mark.
The Bruins have had many stars over the years, and many at each position, but here is who would make an All-Centennial team made up of 20 players. The team will consist of 12 forwards, six defenseman, and two goalies.
Forwards
Johnny Bucyk-Patrice Bergeron-Rick Middleton
Brad Marchand-Phil Esposito-Cam Neely
Wayne Cashman-David Krejci-Terry O’Reilly
Don Marcotte-Shawn Thornton-Ken Hodge
Honorable Mentions: David Pastrnak, Milan Lucic, Woody Dumart, Sergei Samsonov.
Analysis:
It is so tough to narrow the forwards for Boston to just 12 skaters, as so many players have contributed in so many ways.
From recently retired Patrice Bergeron winning a record six Selke Awards, to Terry “Taz” O’Reilly terrorizing players left and right with his physicality on the ice during his years where he was known as the Tazmanian Devil.
There’s almost too many to chose from here, especially with 100 years to chose from, but in order to combine the best of the best from each era, this is what I came up with.
Defensemen
Ray Bourque-Eddie Shore
Bobby Orr-Mike Millbury
Zdeno Chara-Don Sweeney
Honorable Mentions: Brad Park, Lionel Hitchman, Johnny Boychuk.
Analysis:
Now this was a very tough group to choose from, and had to be very closely examined. There are some very good defenseman from the common era, like Charlie McAvoy, who very well could be named Boston’s next captain, but in order to draw from the best of the best it had to come down to just one modern day Bruin.
Chara showed excellence both on, and off, the ice with leadership qualities that showed throughout the community, and that is why he had to, unequivocally, be a part of this group.
However, when it came to play on the ice, there was no one better than the old school players. It hurt me to put Orr on a second line with Millbury (not to mention leave Boychuk out period), but the truth is, you can’t put him and Bourque together, the two need their space on the ice to do what they do best… Separately.
Goaltenders
Tuukka Rask
Gerry Cheevers
Honorable mentions: Tim Thomas, Tiny Thompson, Andy Moog, Giles Gilbert.
Analysis:
While Bleacher Report, has Cheevers as the Bruins best goaltender of all time, arguments can be made for so many different goaltenders. Cheevers held the record for most playoff wins by a Boston netminder until it was broken by Rask in 2021, and to this day that record stands, but did wind up with 230 career wins in the regular season.
However, what puts Rask over Cheevers is a couple things. The first that unlike, Cheevers, he has won the Vezina Trophy (2014), the Stanley Cup (2011, as a back-up to Thomas), and made it to the All-Star Game three times – once in the AHL in 2008, and twice in the NHL in 2017 and 2020.
While Rask never won a championship on his own, and, in fact, left multiple championships on the table, he is still the undisputed best goaltender.
Next. 10 David Krejci playoff highlights. dark