It's hard for a list of the greatest Boston Bruins players to have many from the modern era considering they just celebrated 100 years. However, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand's run through the 2010s earned them a spot on this list.
The Bruins have an extensive history, as shown this past season with their 100th-year celebration. It isn't easy to narrow down a list of their ten greatest players, but the following players stand tall above the rest.
Let's look at the ten greatest Boston Bruins of all time.
10. Brad Marchand
It's hard to argue that the Bruins' newest captain isn't making his way onto the Bruins' top-ten list. The self-made superstar burst onto the scene in 2010-11 as a fourth liner and ended the season by scoring two goals in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final alongside Patrice Bergeron to defeat the Vancouver Canucks.
Marchand returned to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and 2019 but hasn't been able to add to his ring collection. He is fifth on the all-time points list with 929 in 1,029 games and first in short-handed goals with 36.
9. Terry O'Reilly
O'Reilly isn't near the top of the list in points, but his style of play made him a fan favorite in Boston. Boston hockey fans love hard-nosed, physical players who won't hesitate to drop the gloves to defend their teammates. In a long list of players who fit that role in Bruins history, O'Reilly may be the greatest.
8. Cam Neely
Neely played three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks after they drafted him, but they traded him to the Bruins in 1987. Neely became an instant contributor for the Bruins, earning a career-high 72 points in 75 games in his first season. He wasn't only known for his point-producing abilities, as he had 100+ penalty minutes in six consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1990.
Neely's greatest season was in 1993-94 when he scored 50 goals in 44 games. It was the second shortest time to score 50 goals in the NHL's history behind Wayne Gretzky's record. Injuries cut Neely's career short, but that didn't stop the NHL from inducting him into the Hall of Fame. Neely finished with 395 goals and 299 assists in 726 games, with 1,241 penalty minutes.
7. Patrice Bergeron
Bruins fans will remember Bergeron's career very fondly. It began in 2003-04 and he became an immediate fan-favorite. Bergeron's career took a bad turn during the 2007-08 season when he suffered a season-ending concussion, which caused two years of troubles. However, he returned to form in 2010-11 when the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup since 1972.
Bergeron holds the record for most Frank J. Selke Trophies with six and formed one of the best lines of the era alongside Brad Marchand. The pair stole the hearts of Bruins fans for the entire decade, but couldn't win a second Stanley Cup after coming up short in the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and 2019. Bergeron finished with 1,040 points in 1,294 games and was Zdeno Chara's successor for the captaincy in 2021.
6. Milt Schmidt
One of the Bruins' first stars made the Hall of Fame 63 years ago, meaning most of us didn't get to watch his excellence. However, Schmidt's accolades speak for themselves. He was the NHL's scoring champion in 1940, won MVP in 1951, and a Stanley Cup Champion in 1939 and 1941.
Schmidt's contributions didn't end there, as he was the general manager when Nos. 1, 3, and 4 on this list won two Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972. Schmidt had a short career and may not rank high on the Bruins' points list, but he is one of the greatest Bruins on and off the ice.
5. Zdeno Chara
Everything changed for the Bruins at the start of the 2006 offseason when they signed Chara to a five-year, $37.5 million contract. He immediately took on the role of captain and held the honor until 2021. Chara became the first Slovakian captain to win a Stanley Cup in 2011, and the second European since Nicklas Lidstrom.
Chara won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman just once, but there's an argument that he was the best defenseman of the 2010s. He struck fear into every opponent and the uptick of offensive defensemen winning the Norris Trophy caused Chara to lose out.
4. Johnny Bucyk
Bucyk was a Boston Bruin for 22 seasons, recording 1,369 points in 1,540 games. He played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1955, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, and 1971. He won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972, and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1971 and 1974.
Bucyk is still a member of the Bruins, with Boston's centennial season marking his 69th year with the organization. He eclipsed 100 points once, with 116 in 78 games in 1970-71.
3. Phil Esposito
Esposito was the greatest scorer of his generation when he starred alongside a certain defenceman wearing the number four in the 1970s. The Bruins acquired him along with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield, with all three players earning mega roles on the successful teams of the 1970s. Esposito led the NHL in goals for six consecutive seasons from 1969 to 1975. He tallied 43, 76,66, 55, 68, and 61 goals during that time.
2. Ray Bourque
Bourque would be No. 1 on the list of most teams. However, having to compete with Bobby Orr doesn't make it easy. Bourque instantly became a star in his rookie season, recording 65 points in 80 games. He finished his career with 1,579 points in 1,612 games.
Bourque won five Norris Trophies during his career and had many great runs with the Bruins. He was never able to finish the job with Boston, which led to a trade to the Colorado Avalanche for his last two seasons, with his last game coming in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals as he lifted the storied trophy.
1. Bobby Orr
The greatest Boston Bruin is the number four we mentioned in the Phil Esposito section. There's an argument that Orr could've been the greatest hockey player of all time if knee injuries didn't derail his career. Orr had 915 points in 657 games, winning two Stanley Cups and eight Norris Trophies. He was the league's MVP three times and led in points for two seasons.
Orr changed how defensemen played hockey, jumping up in the play and contributing to offense just as much as defense. The offensive defensemen we see today may not be possible if Orr hadn't changed their role.
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