1964-65 season
Record: 21-43-6 (48 points)
Milt Schmidt signed a new two-year contract in April 1964 to keep him on as head coach. His new contract also stated that he was able to ‘serve in any other vital capacity in which his background and long experience may better enhance the present all-important Bruins player development program’. Bruins Chairman Weston Adams, described Schmidt’s new position as a ‘trouble shooter’.
Over the days of June 8 and June 9, the Bruins made two trades with the Blackhawks. Doug Mohns, Jerry Toppazzini, and Matt Ravlich were off to Chicago while Reggie Fleming, Ab McDonald, and Murray Balfour were heading to Boston. Mohns finished his 11-year career in Boston with 118 goals and 229 assists in 711 games, while Toppazzini recorded 151 goals and 218 assists over 661 games. Topper was also wrapping up 11 (non-consecutive) years with Boston.
The Bruins began the 1964-65 season on a nine-game winless streak, and only won four out of their first 18 games. Despite the 4-11-3 record, Bruins bruiser Ted Green was proving how valuable he was on bth ends of the ice.
The Bruins just toppled the Rangers in a 6-1 Thanksgiving victory, where Green scored a goal and two assists, taking the team lead in scoring.
“He’s working hard at becoming a good hockey player and he’s getting there fast,” Schmidt said of Green. “Sure he’ll still take a poke at someone once in awhile but almost all the time now he’s thinking hockey. Before, he was looking for someone to step into most of the time.”
Green finished the season in fourth on the team in points with 35, and led the B’s with 156 penalty minutes. New acquisition Fleming, also impressed this season, landing in third on the team with 41 points and second in penalty minutes with 140.
The Bruins finished in last for the fifth year in a row, gaining three more wins than the previous season.