Boston Bruins

Lore & Background

The Bruins are one of the 'Original Six' NHL teams, along with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth-most of any team with the Blackhawks, and tied for second-most for an NHL team based in the United States. The Bruins have also won the Presidents' Trophy four times, with their most recent win in 2022–23 amassing 135 points—the most in one season in NHL history.

The first facility to host the Bruins was the Boston Arena (later known as Matthews Arena), the world's oldest (built 1909–10) indoor ice hockey facility at the time of its closure in December 2025 and subsequent demolition in 2026. Following the Bruins' departure from the Boston Arena, the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons, beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995, when they moved to TD Garden.

Reader's Guide

The Bruins' early years (1924–1942) saw them become the first NHL team based in the United States, with owner Charles Adams hiring Art Ross as general manager. The team's nickname 'Bruins' and original uniform colors of brown and yellow came from Adams' grocery chain, First National Stores. Key early players included Eddie Shore, Tiny Thompson, Frank Brimsek, and the 'Kraut line'. The Bruins won their first Stanley Cup in 1929 and added Cups in 1939 and 1941. During the Original Six era (1942–1967), the team saw ownership changes and notable players like Willie O'Ree, the first black NHL player. The expansion era (1967–1979) featured Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, leading to a Stanley Cup win in 1970.

Did You Know?

• The Bruins won the first ever NHL game played in the United States on December 1, 1924, defeating the Montreal Maroons 2–1 at Boston Arena.
• Billy Coutu of the Bruins is the only player in NHL history to be banned for life after attacking a referee during the 1927 Stanley Cup Final.
• In 1929–30, the Bruins posted the best-ever regular season winning percentage in the NHL (.875), a record that still stands.