11 Best Boston Bruins Players of All Time

The Boston Bruins are one of the NHL’s most illustrious franchises. 

An “Original Six” team with six Stanley Cups in their cupboard, the Bruins have enjoyed several successful eras thanks to the exploits of iconic players like Bobby Orr, Patrice Bergeron, and Eddie Shore. 

Those three stars and some other familiar names like Cam Neely, Johnny Bucyk, and Brad Marchand feature on the list.

Without further ado, let’s get to the 11 best Bruins of all time.

11 Best Boston Bruins Players of All Time

11 Greatest Boston Bruins of All Time

1. Bobby Orr

The subject of one of the most iconic photographs in hockey history, Bobby Orr’s name is synonymous with the Boston Bruins.

This Day In 1970: Boston Record-American photographer Ray Lussier takes one of the most iconic sports photos of all time — Flying Bobby Orr pic.twitter.com/wKRblpSkBz

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 10, 2017

Not only did he score one of the most important goals in franchise history when he clinched the 1970 Stanley Cup in overtime against the St. Louis Blues, but he also holds several NHL records, including the most points (139) and assists (102) in a single season by a defenceman.

2. Raymond Bourque

There must have been something in the water in Boston because it did not take long for the Bruins to find Orr’s heir apparent.

Raymond Bourque burst onto the scene by capturing the Calder Trophy in 1979-1980 and never looked back. The offensive-minded defencemen won five Norris Trophies, played in 19 All-Star Games, and holds the NHL record for most points, goals, and assists by a defenceman.

3. Patrice Bergeron

The ultimate professional, Patrice Bergeron’s legacy is defined by his ability to do everything well.

Bergeron’s offensive numbers are terrific – he ranks third in franchise history with 1,040 points – but it was his defensive acumen that made him one of the elite players of his era.

Bergeron won the Frank J. Selke Trophy six times in his career.

4. Phil Esposito

Like his teammate Orr, Phil Esposito spent much of the 1970s rewriting the NHL record books. 

Esposito was the first player in NHL history to record more than 100 points in a season, and his 76 goals scored in 1970-1971 were the record until Wayne Gretzky potted 92 in 1981-1982. 

Esposito, along with Orr, led the Bruins to a pair of Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972.

5. Johnny Bucyk

Johnny Bucyk’s statistical portfolio is exemplary. A hulking left wing, Bucyk holds the record for most goals (545) in franchise history, and his 794 assists and 1,436 games played are bested by only Bourque. 

And as impressive as his statistical portfolio is, it only tells half the story. His teammates so admired Bucyk that they selected him as the first player to touch the Stanley Cup when the Bruins won it in 1970, ending a 29-year drought.

6. Eddie Shore

Sometimes, a nickname can tell you everything you need to know about someone, and that’s certainly the case with Eddie Shore.

Known as “Old Blood and Guts” for his physical play and tenacity, Shore was one of the first superstar defencemen in NHL history and is still the only rearguard in league history to win the Hart Trophy four times.

7. Cam Neely

Along with Bourque, Cam Neely led the Bruins to plenty of success in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Although they never achieved the ultimate goal, Neely’s Bruins were a feared outfit and were regularly featured at the top of the Stanley Cup odds.

Neely’s playing career was cut short due to injury, but he would finally get a chance to lift Lord Stanley as the team president in 2011. 

8. Milt Schmidt

One of the early stars in Bruins’ history, Milt Schmidt combined with childhood friends Woody DuMart and Bobby Bauer to create the infamous “Kraut Line.”

With Schmidt leading the way, the Bruins captured the Stanley Cup in 1939 and 1941, but the team essentially dismantled so players, including Schmidt, could enlist in the military at the onset of World War II. 

Schmidt joined the Bruins’ front office after his playing days and was the general manager when the team won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972. 

9. Zdeno Chara

Perhaps the best free agent signing in team history, Zdeno Chara came to Boston with high expectations and found a way to exceed them.

Chara captained a team that turned into a perennial powerhouse that would regularly be at the top of the hockey odds to win the Stanley Cup. He put up eye-popping individual numbers along the way, earning himself a Norris Trophy in 2009 and five trips to the All-Star Game as a member of the B’s.

Chara played a massive role in ending Boston’s 39-year Stanley Cup drought when they upset the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 Final.

10. Brad Marchand

Brad Marchand may be best known for his role as an agitator, but don’t let that stop you from appreciating the numbers the diminutive winger has put up in his long career.

Marchand is a Stanley Cup champion and ranks inside the top five in Bruins’ history in games played, goals, and points.

11. Tuukka Rask

Tuukka Rask may not be in the same echelon as his contemporaries Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo, and Carey Price when it comes to individual accolades, but he is undoubtedly a franchise icon.

Rask holds the record for most wins (308) and games played (564) by a goaltender in Bruins’ history.