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04-08-2025
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From The Archive: 20 Incredible Bruins Moments
The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here Also, go to to subscribe. 20 Incredible Bruins Moments - Nov 13, 2023 - By Ken Campbell As a kid who was indoctrinated into Habs Nation long before people started referring to fan bases as (insert team nickname here) Nations, I had always hated the Boston Bruins. Respected them, but hated them. They always scared me, even with the Montreal Canadiens regularly taking them to the woodshed in the playoffs. Over the years, the fandom has waned, and the grudging respect has turned into admiration. How can you not appreciate the likes of Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron? How can you not give props to an organization that has been so good for so long? The Bruins may have only six Stanley Cups to their credit, but as they enter their 100th season in the NHL, the league's first U.S.-based team has been at times bad and irrelevant, feared and talented, competitive and dynamic. And they've had some of the most exciting and skilled players in the history of the game. As the Bruins celebrate their centennial, it's a good time to take stock of the most incredible moments in franchise history. Here are 20 of the most prominent ones – lots good, some bad and a few ugly. 1. THE GOAL. ENOUGH SAID MAY 10, 1970 WHEN THE BRUINS REACHED the final in 1970, it had been 12 years since they played for the Stanley Cup and an excruciating 29 years without a title. Even though the result was essentially a fait accompli, since the Bruins were facing the third-year St. Louis Blues, it was only fitting that the last game of the four-game sweep was won in dramatic fashion and was ended by the greatest player ever to wear a Bruins uniform. The Blues, after being swept by the Canadiens in both the 1968 and '69 finals, were once again in over their head versus the powerful Bruins. 'I thought they should have won three, maybe even four Cups in a row,' said Scotty Bowman, the Blues coach at the time. 'We made the final three years in a row, and they were the toughest team we faced. They were a powerhouse.' Early in overtime of Game 4, Larry Keenan of the Blues tried to chip the puck up the boards from deep in his zone, but the clear was intercepted by Bobby Orr, who passed it behind the net to Derek Sanderson, then cut to the net. Sanderson returned the pass, and Orr scored just before being tripped by Noel Picard. The mid-air goal celebration was captured by Boston Record-American photographer Ray Lussier and is one of the most iconic sports photos of all-time. 'That was Bobby Orr right in his prime,' Bowman said. 'We even had Jimmy Roberts shadowing him for a while. A defenseman. But we stopped because it didn't work.' 2. HORTON SCORES A GOAL APRIL 27, 2011 REMEMBER WHAT WE WERE saying before about the Bruins' playoff futility against the Canadiens? Well, they managed to even that out in the 1990s and were the better of the two teams in the early 2000s. But the Bruins found themselves in a life-and-death struggle against their nemesis in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. A year after blowing a 3-0 series lead in Round 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010, the Bruins lost the first two games of their 2011 Round 1 series to Montreal. But they fought back with three straight wins before Montreal forced a winner-take-all contest with a Game 6 victory on home ice. Game 7 was tied 3-3 going into overtime after P.K. Subban scored to tie it with just under two minutes remaining. But Nathan Horton channelled his inner Mel Hill (more on him later) and scored his second overtime goal of the series 5:43 into OT to seal the victory. The Bruins went on to win their first Stanley Cup in 39 years, with their wins over Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference final and Vancouver in the Cup final both coming in seven games. 3. DIT MOVES TO DEFENSE NOVEMBER 6, 1937 FOR THE FIRST 10 years of his career, Dit Clapper was one of the NHL's premier right wingers, starring on 'The Dynamite Line' along with Cooney Weiland and Dutch Gainor. Clapper, who moved up from defense after his contract was purchased from the Boston Tigers, helped the Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 1929 and finished second in the league to Weiland in goals with 41 in 1929-30. In 1937, Clapper moved to defense, where he forged his Hall of Fame credentials and led the Bruins to two more Cups. Paired with Eddie Shore, Clapper was a first-team all-star three times on defense, becoming the first NHL player to be an all-star both at forward and defense. He was ranked the No. 11 defenseman of all-time by The Hockey News in 2020. With three Stanley Cups as a Bruin, Clapper has won more titles than any other player in a Bruins uniform. 4. MR. ZERO TAKES OVER DECEMBER 1, 1938 TURNS OUT HARRY SINDEN wasn't the only GM of the Bruins to have the courage to trade a franchise icon. Despite the fact Tiny Thompson was coming off a Vezina Trophy-winning season, the fourth of his career with the Bruins, GM Art Ross traded him to Detroit and called up Frank Brimsek for good. In short order, Brimsek went on a heater, posting six shutouts in seven games and breaking the league's record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal. He won over Bruins fans and earned the nickname 'Mr. Zero.' Brimsek won 33 games that season, was named rookie of the year and led Boston to the Cup. 5. WILLIE O'REE MAKES HISTORY JANUARY 18, 1958 MORE THAN 65 YEARS after he became the first Black player in history to appear in an NHL game, the honors continue to be bestowed on Willie O'Ree. After being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, having his No. 22 retired by the Bruins and receiving a Congressional Gold Medal, O'Ree now has his face on a stamp in Canada. The accolades were well-earned by the man who became known as the 'Jackie Robinson of hockey.' Unlike baseball, there was no color barrier in the NHL, at least not an official one, but that doesn't mean O'Ree didn't face numerous obstacles in his pursuit of an NHL career. 6. THE ESPOSITO TRADE, PART I MAY 15, 1967 WITH THE LEAGUE ON the verge of doubling in size, the Bruins were coming off their eighth straight season of missing the playoffs (remember, four of six teams made the post-season then), six of which they finished dead-last. Even with Orr finishing his rookie season with the Calder Trophy, the Bruins were still the NHL's doormat. All that changed when GM Milt Schmidt made a deal with Chicago that will go down as one of the most lopsided in NHL history, sending rugged defenseman Gilles Marotte, winger Pit Martin and goalie Jack Norris to the Black Hawks in exchange for Phil Esposito and wingers Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. Esposito was a burgeoning impact player, but he was seen as something of a playoff dud. He took enormous heat for his performance in the Hawks' Round 1 elimination to a Toronto Maple Leafs team that finished 19 points behind Chicago in the regular season, and he had only four goals in 29 post-season games. In Boston, Esposito became one of the greatest scorers the game has ever known, while Hodge also had 7. SINDEN GIVES CANUCKS THE (CAM) SHAFT JUNE 6, 1986 NINETEEN YEARS AFTER TRADING for Esposito, the Bruins took a chance on another young underachiever when they acquired 21-year-old Cam Neely plus a first-round pick in the 1987 draft (which they used to choose Glen Wesley) in exchange for 25-year-old Barry Pederson. When Sinden made the deal, he was trading a two-time 100-point man for a rugged kid who had scored 14 goals the previous year. 'I remember they needed somebody to score goals, and we needed somebody to bang bodies,' Sinden recalled. 'Sometimes, you just get lucky.' The Bruins got more than lucky with the man who became synonymous with Boston hockey and is now the team president. Neely was everything the Canucks thought they were getting when they drafted him ninth overall in 1983 and then some. Neely posted three 50-goal seasons, including 1993-94 when he hit the mark in just 49 games, and he led the Bruins to two Cup finals. After seven solid seasons with the Bruins, Wesley was dealt to the Hartford Whalers for first-round picks in 1995, '96 and '97, the last of which was used to take Sergei Samsonov, who won the Calder Trophy in 1997-98. 8. THE ESPOSITO TRADE, PART II NOVEMBER 7, 1975 OF ALL THE BRILLIANT trades Sinden made over the years, none was riskier than when he decided early in 1975-76 to ship franchise icon Esposito, who was coming off his fifth straight 100-point season, along with defenseman Carol Vadnais, to the New York Rangers for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi. But the deal not only revived the careers of Park and Ratelle and cemented their Hall of Fame credentials, it kept the Bruins as a perennial contender for another eight years. But, man, did the Bruins take some heat in the early days after the deal was done. Think about this for a minute. Esposito was coming off a 61-goal season in 1974-75, the sixth consecutive season he had led the league in goals. Nobody else, not even Wayne Gretzky or Alex Ovechkin, has led the league in goals six straight seasons. Esposito was shocked and devastated by the deal. Even though Esposito had six goals and 16 points in 12 games prior to the trade, Sinden said, 'He wasn't playing well and we had to do something.' As the Bruins' media-relations guy, Nate Greenberg was dispatched to pick up Park at the airport after the deal, and he thought it would be a good idea to stop in at the WBZ-AM radio station to do an hour of a sports talk show. As he and Park were sitting in the waiting room preparing for him to go on the air, they could hear the radio broadcast, and to say the callers were not kind to Park would be an understatement. 'People were calling (Park) every name in the book,' Greenberg said. 'They emasculated him. People were saying, 'Everybody's going to hate that fat f---.' They were killing him. But what he didn't know at the time was that there was a seven-second delay, so all the swears were edited out.' 9. CLOSING TIME ON CAUSEWAY SEPTEMBER 26, 1995 FOR 67 YEARS – SOME of them good, some of them bad, all of them eventful – the Bruins called the old Boston Garden their home. Unfortunately, so did a number of rats. The final event, a pre-season game between the Bruins and the Canadiens, was preceded by a closing ceremony, the pinnacle of which occurred when Bruins captain Ray Bourque took Normand Leveille for a last skate, followed by Orr pushing Leveille's wheelchair around the ice. Grown men in the stands were weeping. The Canadiens get a lot of deserved credit for pulling off these sorts of events, but the Bruins tugged at the heartstrings in a big way with this one. The vision of Leveille, holding his cane supported by Bourque and skating around the ice, is one that will forever endure. Leveille was the Bruins' first-round pick in 1981, and with nine points in the first nine games of his second NHL season, he suffered a brain aneurysm in a game in Vancouver that left him paralyzed. Leveille endured seven hours of surgery and was in a coma for three weeks. The malady robbed Leveille of an NHL career and the Bruins of a player Sinden was convinced would have been a star. 'We thought we had a bona fide Hall of Fame player,' Sinden said. 'He had a terrific shot, and he could really fake his shot then shoot later. He wasn't that big, but he was a tough little guy.' 10. 'KRAUT LINE' GOES TO WAR FEBRUARY 10, 1942 THE TRIO OF SCHMIDT between Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer grew up giving goalies nightmares in Kitchener, Ont., then brought their act to Boston, where they won Cups in 1939 and '41 and finished 1-2-3 in NHL scoring in 1939-40. They enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force for the Second World War, but not before combining for 11 points in the Bruins' 8-1 win over Montreal at the Boston Garden late in 1941-42. But it was what happened after the game that made it so memorable. Despite being embarrassed by their rivals, the Canadiens carried Schmidt, Dumart and Bauer off the ice on their shoulders. The trio missed the next three years in service to their country, then returned to the Bruins, with Schmidt winning the Hart Trophy in 1950-51. Bruins Forward Is Intriguing Breakout Candidate Boston Bruins forward John Beecher had some growing pains this past season with the Original Six club. In 78 games with the Bruins on the year, he recorded three goals, eight assists, 11 points, and a minus-9 rating. This was after he posted seven goals and 10 points in 52 games during his rookie season in 2023-24. 11. RUNNING UP THAT HILL APRIL 2, 1939 IN THE 107-YEAR HISTORY of the NHL, only once has a player scored three overtime goals in one playoff series. That player was a journeyman by the name of Mel Hill, who earned the nickname 'Sudden Death' for his exploits against the Rangers in the second round of the 1939 playoffs. Hill began his magic by scoring with 35 seconds left in the third overtime of Game 1, then followed up with another OT goal two nights later. After taking a 3-0 stranglehold on the series, the Bruins dropped the next three games and were again in triple overtime in Game 7 when Hill scored exactly eight minutes in. The Bruins went on to win the Cup in five games over Toronto, with Hill opening the scoring in the clinching game. 12. BOURQUE TO ESPOSITO DECEMBER 3, 1987 WHEN BOURQUE BROKE IN with the Bruins in 1979, he didn't become the first player to wear a number of a former superstar – Dickie Moore and Yvan Cournoyer (No. 12), Elmer Lach and Henri Richard (No. 16) and 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion and Guy Lapointe (No. 5) all wore the same number with the Canadiens. But when Bruins decided to retire the No. 7, they were faced with a dilemma. Esposito had worn the number while smashing the record book, and, since wearing numbers higher than 35 was not a thing at the time, Bourque was wearing the same number while becoming an all-time great himself. So Sinden came up with an idea. 'I was driving back from one of our minor-league games in Springfield, wondering what to do about the number,' Sinden said. 'And it came to mind. I said, 'I think I know what we can do.' It wasn't a long-term thing that was thought out by some committee. It just happened in the car one night.' And it resulted in one of the game's most touching moments. During the ceremony, Bourque skated to Esposito, passed him a No. 7 sweater, then removed his own sweater to reveal No. 77, which he wore for the rest of that season and 12 more until he was traded. Bourque's No. 77 was retired by the Bruins in 2001. 'What this young man did tonight,' said Esposito of Bourque, 'is something that I'll never, ever, ever forget, no matter what else happens in my life.' 13. DRYDEN FOR SOME GUY NAMED GUY JUNE 11, 1964 WHEN BRUINS GM SCHMIDT drafted an unknown goalie by the name of Ken Dryden with the 14th overall pick in 1964, then 17 days later flipped him to the Montreal Canadiens for Guy Allen and Paul Reid, little did he know he was setting into motion a series of events that would see their rival acquire one of the biggest Bruin killers. There are many versions of the events, including that the Bruins traded Dryden and Alex Campbell to the Canadiens because they learned after choosing Dryden that he intended to go to Cornell. But that's impossible, since Dryden didn't find out he had even been drafted by the Bruins until well into his NHL career, when Canadiens executive Ron Caron mentioned it in passing. According to Dryden, shortly after the draft, his Jr. B coach called him to say he had been taken by Montreal because it was the Canadiens who called the coach to inform him. We all know how things turned out for Dryden and the Bruins, but life unfolded pretty nicely for Allen as well. He played a couple of years in the minors, then returned to his hometown of Timmins, Ont., where he had a long career in policing, then worked for the Ontario attorney general's office. For his part, Allen harbors zero bitterness. And when Dryden, who later went into federal politics, was on business in Timmins in 2008, he reached out and asked Allen to meet him at the airport. Allen wasn't going to go, but his wife convinced him to, and the two principals in the deal met for the first time. When Dryden asked Allen if there was anything he could do for him, Allen had one simple request. He asked Dryden to sign a picture of the two of them together with the inscription, 'Guy, thanks for putting me into the Hall of Fame.' 'I never thought I'd get it,' Allen said. 'But a couple of months later, it came. Isn't that awesome? I put it in a frame, and now I'm glad I went out to meet him.' 14. THESE BOOTS WEREMADE FOR WHACKING DECEMBER 23, 1979 IF IT HAPPENED TODAY, there probably isn't a number high enough to count the games Terry O'Reilly, Mike Milbury and the rest would be suspended for their actions on Dec. 23, 1979, the night the Bruins went into the stands at Madison Square Garden and Milbury pummelled a Rangers fan with the guy's own shoe. O'Reilly was suspended eight games, Milbury and Peter McNab six each. But, according to the summary, the only penalty in the entire debacle went to Dave Maloney of the Rangers, who earned a game misconduct but didn't sit a minute because the game had already ended with the Bruins winning 4-3. It all went down shortly after Esposito smashed his stick in frustration after being stopped on a breakaway at the buzzer that would have tied the game. And it was a garden-variety scrum until a Rangers fan reached over the glass during an altercation between O'Reilly and Frank 'Seldom' Beaton of the Rangers. After the affair, they managed to get the Bruins' bus into the arena, and Dennis Ryan, a former assistant chief with the NYPD who was the Rangers' security guy, arranged for the Bruins to have six motorcycle cops get the bus to the Lincoln Tunnel. 'We're backing the bus out of the 33rd Street entrance, and people are rocking the bus and throwing stuff at it,' Greenberg said. 'They took us to the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel, and I was standing in the well of the bus. I said to the six cops, 'Hey, thanks very much, we appreciate it.' Five of them waved back, and the cop that was closest to me gave me the finger.' 15. THE COMEBACK MAY 13, 2013 WITH JUST OVER 10 minutes left in Game 7 of their first-round showdown against Toronto, the Bruins found themselves trailing 4-1. Then Horton scored. Then Tuukka Rask stopped Matt Frattin on a clear breakaway with just under four minutes left. Then Milan Lucic scored. Bergeron tied it 31 seconds later with less than a minute remaining, then capped one of the greatest playoff comebacks in NHL history by scoring at the 6:05 mark of overtime. The Bruins advanced to the final before losing to Chicago, but the comeback personified 'Boston Strong' and galvanized a city that had been rocked by a bombing at the Boston Marathon in which three people were killed and hundreds injured less than a month before. 16. DOWN GOES BOUCHARD! MAY 21, 1978 IN THE FOUR-PLUS DECADES from 1945-46 through 1986-87, the Bruins faced the Canadiens in the playoffs 18 times and lost 18 times. Yikes. But even though the B's didn't beat the Habs in the 1978 final, they won one battle in one of the bloodiest, most lopsided fights in history. There was nothing to suggest that the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Stan Jonathan would be anything but fodder for the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Pierre Bouchard when the two of them squared off in Game 4 of that year's final. But Jonathan started with a dizzying flurry of right hands, then switched to his left and cut Bouchard over the eye, which caused him to bleed profusely. By the time Bouchard had been pulled from the ice, both he and linesman John D'Amico were covered in blood. 'They were a tough team,' said Bowman, the former Canadiens coach. 'A lot tougher than we were. They had Jonathan, O'Reilly, Milbury and (John) Wensink. The problem for Bouchard was that he cut his eye and couldn't see anything.' The Bruins won that game in overtime to tie the series 2-2 and looked to have momentum, but the Canadiens took the next two games to win their third of four straight Stanley Cups. But Bruins fans still have fond memories of that fight. 'Aside from goals, it's probably the thing that is replayed the most at Bruins games,' Greenberg said. 17. SHORE ENDS ACE'S CAREER DECEMBER 12, 1933 ANY DISCUSSION OF THE greatest defensemen in Bruins and NHL history has to include Shore, along with Orr and Bourque. But not only was Shore a great player, he had a mean streak that neither Orr (who was really, really tough) nor Bourque could approach. He was, to be blunt, a nasty piece of work. And in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, it almost killed Ace Bailey. Shore, reacting to what he thought was a dirty hit by King Clancy, confused Bailey with Clancy and slammed Bailey from behind into the boards. Bailey suffered a fractured skull, went into convulsions on the ice and spent 10 days in a coma. Shore was suspended 16 games, which was one-third of the regular season at the time. The league held an Ace Bailey Benefit Game the next season, which was the precursor to the NHL All-Star Game. 18. TOO MANY MEN. ENOUGH SAID MAY 10, 1979 AFTER SO MANY AGONIZING defeats, the Bruins finally had them. This was it. The curse of the Canadiens was about to be lifted, and the Bruins would go on to win the Cup after dispatching the New York Rangers in the final. After all, this series was the final. With the Bruins leading 4-3 late in the third period, Guy Lafleur went to the Canadiens' bench, and so did Don Marcotte, who was his shadow through the series. And he had done what people thought was an admirable job. After all, Lafleur had only five even-strength goals in the first six games of the series. As quickly as Lafleur got off the ice, he jumped back on. So did Marcotte, which left the Bruins with too many men, because one player – believed to be Jonathan, who had a hat trick in Game 6 – didn't come off the ice. The Bruins were called for too many men on the ice. Then, with 1:14 left, Lafleur 'coming out rather gingerly down the right side,' in the words of play-by-play man Danny Gallivan, took a drop pass from Jacques Lemaire and scored the tying goal before Yvon Lambert scored in overtime. 'In retrospect, you have to control yourself,' Sinden said, 'and we weren't able to do that.' 19. ORR'S HOUSE GETS STUCCOED MARCH 31, 1961 WHEN THE BRUINS BRASS showed up in Gananoque, Ont., for a bantam playoff game in 1961 as a side trip to watch the junior playoffs in nearby Kingston, they were there to watch Doug Higgins and Rick Eaton, stars of the Gananoque team. But it wasn't long before a wispy, 112-pound kid from Parry Sound had them all entranced. Scout Wren Blair, a hockey lifer who later became GM of the Minnesota North Stars, spent a year chasing and wooing Orr. A year later, Orr signed with the Bruins and was dispatched to the Oshawa Generals. As part of the deal, Orr received $10,000, his parents received new cars and the B's paid to have the family home in Parry Sound stuccoed. 20. NEAR-TRAGIC STICK FIGHT SEPTEMBER 21, 1969 A PRE-SEASON GAME IN Ottawa turned ugly and controversial when Bruins defenseman Ted Green and Blues winger Wayne Maki got involved in a stick-swinging duel that went horribly wrong when Maki struck Green in the right temple. It didn't look all that serious at first, but it wasn't long before Sinden, who was behind the B's bench, realized something was very wrong. '(Maki) didn't really mean to hit (Green) where he did,' he said. 'It didn't look serious, but then he stumbled when he got up, and that frightened me. By the time we got him to the hospital, we were worried sick.' Incredibly, the teams played the rest of the game after the incident. For the next couple of hours, Green fought for his life, then underwent an operation to have a metal plate inserted into his skull. Both Green and Maki were charged with assault but were acquitted. Bruins Need Bounce-Back Season From Key Forward The Boston Bruins are hoping to put together a far better season in 2025-26 than they did this past campaign. However, for this to have a real chance of occurring, they will need some of their key players to have bounce-back years. Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
New York Times
31-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Hockey Hall of Fame tiers: Which active NHL players boosted their cases?
For sports fans who enjoy debates, there is perhaps no better topic than the Hall of Fame. It's a subjective honor, in hockey's case decided by an 18-member committee consisting of executives, journalists and former players. For election, players are eligible three years after their retirement from any hockey league, and they must receive at least 14 of 18 committee votes. This summer, the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto announced that it had elected eight new members to be inducted in November: Jennifer Botterill, Zdeno Chara, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny and Joe Thornton as players and Jack Parker and Danièle Sauvageau as builders. Advertisement Last year, I went through current NHL players and evaluated their Hall of Fame cases alongside the great Eric Duhatschek, a former committee member who was a writer for The Athletic before retiring in November. We sorted the players into tiers based on their likelihood of induction, focusing solely on those who had played a minimum of five years, had appeared in a 2023-24 game and were under contract for 2024-25. With another regular season, an international tournament and a playoff cycle all complete, it's time to re-evaluate our rankings. First, some parameters: • Once again, I'm limiting this project to players who have logged at least five seasons. Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard could be in a similar article in a few years, but it's simply too early to evaluate their careers through this lens. • This focuses solely on players who are under contract for next season. Jonathan Toews is included since he signed with Winnipeg, as is Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is under contract for next season but announced in June that he is unlikely to play again due to injury. Joe Pavelski is not, however, since he retired after 2023-24 and is no longer under contract. Neither is Nicklas Backstrom (though we will get to him later). • I've incorporated a couple new tiers to try to make the project more complete. • Non-newcomers in each tier are sorted by position (forwards, then defensemen, then goalies) with the player who has the most points first. Goalies are ordered by wins. • Players whose tiers have changed from last year are italicized and listed at the bottom of their category. Now, here's how the tiers currently shake out, followed by analysis of each newcomer. For analysis of everyone else, check out last year's installment. Tier 1: They could retire today and make it Sidney Crosby Alex Ovechkin Evgeni Malkin Patrick Kane Anze Kopitar Steven Stamkos Connor McDavid Nathan MacKinnon Nikita Kucherov Erik Karlsson Victor Hedman Drew Doughty Sergei Bobrovsky Jonathan Quick Andrei Vasilevskiy Leon Draisaitl Tier 1.5 (new): Almost there — if not already a lock Brad Marchand Jonathan Toews Brent Burns Aleksander Barkov Connor Hellebuyck Advertisement Tier 2: Right on the cusp Auston Matthews Kris Letang Roman Josi Alex Pietrangelo Tier 2.5 (new): Crossing the blue line John Tavares Corey Perry Tier 3: Outside shots Claude Giroux Jamie Benn Ryan O'Reilly John Carlson Tier 4: On track Artemi Panarin David Pastrňák Mikko Rantanen Matthew Tkachuk Quinn Hughes Tier 5: Check back in a few years Mitch Marner Brayden Point Sebastian Aho Jack Eichel Jack Hughes Adam Fox Charlie McAvoy Miro Heiskanen Igor Shesterkin Kirill Kaprizov Evan Bouchard Leon Draisaitl (2024-25 ranking: Tier 2) Marc-André Fleury graduated from this tier by retiring, and Draisaitl is the only new entry. At this point, he's done enough to join teammate Connor McDavid in this category of locks. Draisaitl was excellent in 2024-25 for Edmonton, narrowly missing out on his second-career Hart Trophy; instead he merely finished second and led the league in goals. To make the Hall as a skater with fewer than 800 games played, a player has to be at the level of past inductees Peter Forsberg, Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure. Well, Draisaitl has already scored more goals than Forsberg and Lindros, and he has at least 76 points more than all of them. His resume at this point is undeniable, especially after a 2025 playoffs in which he scored four overtime goals and led all players in points with 33. The Oilers reached their second-consecutive Stanley Cup Final but once again fell to Florida. Still only 29, he'll continue to make himself more of a sure thing over the coming years. He's on pace to be not just a Hall of Famer but also one who makes it on the first ballot. Auston Matthews — the league's leading goal-scorer since his debut in 2016 — falls in the same conversation as Draisaitl: skaters under 30 whose peaks have been so high that they might already have amassed Hall of Fame credentials. But Matthews' resume is a little less convincing than Draisaitl's, mainly because he has seen less postseason success. Draisaitl has 52 goals and 114 points in 96 playoff games — a 44-goal, 120-point pace for an 82-game season — whereas Matthews has 26 goals and 59 points in 68 games: a 31-goal, 71-point pace. Advertisement Of the two players under 30 in last year's Tier 2 ('Right on the cusp'), Draisaitl has separated himself. Brad Marchand (2024-25: Tier 2) Perhaps no one raised their stock more this season than the Panthers winger, almost entirely because of what happened in the playoffs. His regular season was respectable for a 37-year-old but not legendary: He finished with 51 points, as well as a gold medal with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, adding to the World Cup of Hockey and world championship golds already in his trophy case. Notably, the Bruins traded him to Florida at the trade deadline, putting Marchand in position for a legendary postseason run. Marchand was one of the Panthers' best players as they won their second-consecutive Stanley Cup. He finished with 10 goals in 23 games, two of which came in overtime. His first was in Game 3 against Toronto when his team was in danger of going down 3-0 in the series, and his second came against Edmonton in the Cup Final. Marchand is now up to 66 career playoff goals, tied with Denis Savard and Joe Nieuwendyk for 23rd all-time. Savard and Nieuwendyk are already in the Hall of Fame, and only four of the players ahead of them are neither already in nor locks when they become eligible: Claude Lemieux, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Esa Tikkanen. At the start of free agency, Marchand signed a six-year extension in Florida with a $5.25 million annual cap hit. He should fly past 1,000 next season, sitting at 980 now, and with 424 career goals, he has a shot at breaking into the 500 club in the coming years too. Except for Patrik Eliáš, every NHL player in history with at least 1,000 points and two Stanley Cups is either in the Hall of Fame or not yet eligible for induction. Marchand also finished top-10 in Hart Trophy voting four times, so he was widely considered an elite player at his peak. The Panthers are set to remain contenders in the coming years, so Marchand should have plenty of time to add to his postseason statistics — and maybe even add another Stanley Cup. If he's not a lock yet, he's in position to be very soon. Jonathan Toews (2024-25: not ranked) Toews didn't make last year's tiers because he had not played in 2023-24 and was not under contract for 2024-25. Now that the center has signed with the Jets, I'm counting him as eligible. His box-score stats don't scream 'Hall of Famer' on the surface, but he captained three Blackhawks teams to Stanley Cups, earned a Conn Smythe and also won a Selke. He's part of the Triple Gold Club — meaning he's won a Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold (two in his case) and a world championship — and feels bound for induction. He has a chance to add to his case with Winnipeg. Advertisement One potential factor for when the committee considers Toews' candidacy: He was the captain of Chicago in 2010, the year it won its first Stanley Cup of the 21st century but also the year former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich allegedly sexually assaulted then-player Kyle Beach. The Athletic's Mark Lazarus wrote in 2022 about how the scandal impacted Toews' legacy. His teammate from that era, Keith, will be enshrined in the Hall in November. Aleksander Barkov (2024-25: Tier 4) Only six players have won the Selke Trophy three or more times: Patrice Bergeron, Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau, Pavel Datsyuk, Jere Lehtinen and now Barkov. Of the rest, four are either in the Hall of Fame or will be when they are eligible (Bergeron). Lehtinen, who played 875 games but was not the level of offensive threat as Barkov, is the only one on the outside looking in. Barkov has now captained two teams to Stanley Cup wins, plus another to a Final appearance. Between that and his hardware (three Selkes, a King Clancy and a Lady Byng), it's hard to envision him not getting in, especially with how the Panthers are set up to continue being a force. He's still only 29 and has scored at better than a point-per-game pace each of the past five seasons. If he's not a lock yet, he's very, very close. Brent Burns (2024-25: Tier 2) Last year we had Burns in 'Right on the cusp,' but this feels fair. He's part of the reason I added this tier. With a Norris Trophy, three end-of-season All-Star teams, nearly 1,500 NHL games played and several international medals to his name, the defenseman, who signed with the Avalanche this offseason, probably has already done enough to warrant induction. It's just not enough of a sure thing to move him into the top tier. Connor Hellebuyck (2024-25: Tier 4) Hellebuyck's past season is difficult to evaluate. He was brilliant in the regular season, becoming the first goaltender to win the Hart Trophy since Carey Price in 2015, then had a rocky playoffs for the Jets. He's posted a sub-.900 save percentage in each the past three postseasons, including sub-.870 in the past two. That's not all his fault, but it has nevertheless been a tough look for one of the game's best at his position. Even with some playoff struggles, Hellebuyck's accolades can't be overlooked. He has three Vezina Trophies, and every other goalie with that many is already in except for Michel Larocque. The criteria for the Vezina was different in the 1970s when Larocque won: It went to the goalies on the team that allowed the fewest goals, so he was a joint winner all four times despite never being the starter. So essentially there's no precedent for a goalie with Hellebuyck's accomplishments missing the Hall. Cale Makar (2024-25: Tier 4) The Avalanche defenseman is the only new inclusion in this tier. Bumping him up might feel a bit dramatic, considering he's only played 395 games. But by winning a second Norris Trophy and scoring 30 goals this past season — the first blueliner to do so since 2008-09 — he's continued to build an impossible-to-ignore resume. He now has a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, two Norrises, a Calder and has made five end-of-season All-Star teams. He picked up an international gold medal, too, by helping Canada to a 4 Nations Face-Off win, assisting on McDavid's overtime goal in the gold medal game for good measure. Advertisement Even if Makar had average showings the next three seasons (hard to fathom because he's still in his prime) and decided to retire after (hard to fathom because he's only 26), he'd still be Hall of Fame worthy. He's a rare player who appears bound for heights rarely seen by a defenseman. John Tavares (2024-25: Tier 3) Tavares, who turns 35 in September, put together a 38-goal season for the Maple Leafs in 2024-25, tied for the second most in his career. Suddenly the center is only six goals shy of 500, and he inked a new four-year extension in Toronto. He'll reach 600 goals if he averages 26.5 goals per year over that contract, which feels feasible given how last season went. Every player with 600 goals is either in the Hall of Fame or a lock to make it when they become eligible. Tavares has been durable throughout his career, which if continued will allow him to accumulate statistics to further bolster his resume before retirement. His peak is notable, too. He's twice finished top-three in Hart Trophy voting, and over a seven-season span from 2012-13 to 2018-19 his 235 goals were second to only Ovechkin. He also had 507 points in that stretch, ranking fifth. He has not yet captured a Stanley Cup, but he did win an Olympic gold in 2014. Corey Perry (2024-25: Tier 3) Perry is one of the trickier players to evaluate in this exercise. He has a Hart Trophy (2010-11) but has only appeared on ballots one other season. Now 40, he has scored 448 goals and seems likely to finish his career shy of 500. He needs 65 points to reach 1,000, but he hasn't scored more than 30 in the past three seasons. Yet Perry keeps hanging around and contributing to strong teams. In his quest for a second Stanley Cup, after winning in 2007 with Anaheim, he has been a runner-up in five of the past six seasons with four different teams. Most recently, he scored 10 playoff goals for Edmonton, helping the Oilers reach a second-consecutive Stanley Cup Final. With a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and world championship gold, Perry is also a member of the Triple Gold Club, which the committee will surely value. Perry signed with the Kings this summer and is entering his 21st season. The committee someday will have to decide if his Hart is enough to validate his peak and if his accumulated career achievements are enough to overcome strong but not elite counting statistics. At this point he feels like at least a coin flip to make the Hall. There's no one new in this tier, so I'll take a moment to address one of the most frequent complaints from last year's comment section: the omission of Backstrom, the longtime Capitals center who is now ineligible since he signed in Sweden. Advertisement If I needed to put Backstrom in a tier, it would be this one. But it's frankly too hard to see a world in which he gets in. That should not take away from his greatness. He won a Stanley Cup in 2018, played a part in so many Ovechkin goals and won a world championship gold and Olympic silver. Still, he never won an individual trophy, only had 80 points three times and only appeared on Hart ballots twice. He's a great player who should always get a hero's welcome in Washington, but he's not quite at Hall-of-Fame level. Matthew Tkachuk (2024-25: Tier 5) As shown by Bobrovsky, Marchand and Barkov, winning Stanley Cups helps with this exercise. Tkachuk now has two rings, along with 69 points in 67 playoff games over the past three seasons. Pair that with two 100-point seasons and two end-of-season All-Star teams, and the 27-year-old is on track to reach the Hall. Tkachuk's playoff achievements are the trump card over Marner, whom I also considered bumping into this tier. Eichel also has a case to move up, but he probably needs another season like 2024-25 before I move him into that range. Maybe next summer. Quinn Hughes (2024-25: Tier 5) Hughes, however, has done enough to join this grouping after another season as a Norris finalist. If the Canucks defenseman keeps playing at the level he's shown the past two seasons, he will eventually be elected. Kirill Kaprizov (2024-25: Not ranked) Last year's parameters dictated that a player needed to play five years before he was considered. Everything else felt too soon. Kaprizov has now played five seasons, and he's established himself as one of the game's most electrifying talents. He might've won the Hart Trophy this season had he not gotten hurt. Kaprizov did not come over to the U.S. until he was 23, so his counting stats are behind those of other players his age. But if his peak continues, he'll certainly be a potential Hall of Famer. Evan Bouchard (2024-25: Not ranked) Bouchard is one of the more polarizing players in hockey. He's a brilliant offensive player, even when not on the ice with McDavid and Draisaitl, but is prone to defensive lapses. Still only 25, his hopes could depend on if Edmonton gets over the hump and wins the Stanley Cup in the coming years. Advertisement Other questions to consider: If Florida continues its dominance and wins multiple more Cups, could Sam Reinhart or even a defenseman such as Gustav Forsling push their way into the Hall of Fame picture? And with best-on-best Olympics returning, which players — Panthers or not — will seize the opportunity to improve their cases? (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Andy Devlin/NHLI, Claus Andersen, Steph Chambers,)
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hockey Hall of Fame 2025 class: Who made it in?
The Hockey Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2025, with longtime NHL stars Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton among the new inductees. Chara, Duncan Keith, and Thornton were all eligible for the first time, meeting Hockey Hall of Fame rules that require a candidate to have not played a single professional or international hockey game for three full seasons. The trio are joined by another former NHL star who got the nod: 2000 Stanley Cup winner Alexander Mogilny. From the world of women's hockey, Canadian three-time Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Botterill and U.S. gold medalist Brianna Decker will join them in the Hockey Hall of Fame, which is located in Toronto. Botterill and Decker take the total number of women's players in the Hall of Fame up to 12, with the first inductees only being named in 2010. Here is what to know about the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2025 inductees: 2025 NHL Draft: First-round order and how to watch two-day event Hockey Hall of Fame: Who was inducted in Class of 2025? The 2025 inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame include four men's players: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, and Joe Thornton. Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker are the two women inducted in this year's class, with Hall of Fame rules stipulating that a maximum of four men's players and two women's players can get the honor in a given year. There are also two more entrants from the Builders category, with Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau honored for their contributions to the sport. Zdeno Chara: Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman's stats, career Zdeno Chara's 24-season NHL career included 14 seasons with the Boston Bruins, where he served as captain for his entire run with the team. Here is where he spent his time in the league: New York Islanders (1997-2001, 2021-22) Ottawa Senators (2001-06) Boston Bruins (2006-2020) Washington Capitals (2020-21) Honors: Stanley Cup champion: 2010-11 (Boston Bruins) Eastern Conference champion: 2010-11, 2012-13, 2018-19 (all with Boston Bruins) Norris Trophy winner: 2008-09 (Boston Bruins) All-time NHL leader in games played by a defenseman with 1,680 Six-time NHL All-Star (2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12) Tallest NHL player ever (Chara stands at 6-foot-9) Stats: Games played: 1,680 (200 more playoff games) Regular season: 680 points (209 goals, 471 assists) Playoffs: 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) Joe Thornton: Hockey Hall of Fame center's stats, career Joe Thornton's NHL career was also 24 seasons long, the majority of which were spent in a San Jose Sharks sweater. Here are the teams he played for across those years: Boston Bruins (1997-2005) San Jose Sharks (2005-2020) Toronto Maple Leafs (2020-21) Florida Panthers (2021-22) Honors: Olympic gold medalist: 2010 (Canada) World Cup of Hockey gold medal: 2004, 2016 (Canada) Hart Trophy winner: 2005-06 (Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks) Art Ross Trophy winner: 2005-06 (Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks) Only player to ever change teams during a season and win the Hart Memorial and Art Ross trophies Six-time NHL All-Star (2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09) Stats: Games played: 1,714 (sixth all-time) (187 more playoff games) Regular season: 1,539 points (430 goals, 1,109 assists) Playoffs: 134 points (32 goals, 102 assists) Duncan Keith: Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman's stats, career Duncan Keith had a 17-season NHL career, 16 of which were spent as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks before he concluded his run in pro hockey with the Edmonton Oilers: Chicago Blackhawks (2005-2021) Edmonton Oilers (2021-22) Honors: Three-time Stanley Cup champion: 2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15 (all Chicago Blackhawks) Two-time Olympic gold medalist: 2010, 2014 (both Canada) Two-time Norris Trophy winner: 2009-10, 2013-14 (both Chicago Blackhawks) Four-time NHL All-Star (2007-08, 2010-11, 2014-15, 2016-17) Stats: Games played: 1,256 (151 more playoff games) Regular season: 646 points (106 goals, 540 assists) Playoffs: 91 points (19 goals, 72 assists) Alexander Mogilny: Hockey Hall of Fame forward's stats, career Alexander Mogilny spent three seasons playing in the Soviet Championship League before coming to the NHL, becoming the first Soviet star to defect in the process. He played 17 seasons for the following teams: Buffalo Sabres (1989-1995) Vancouver Canucks (1995-2000) New Jersey Devils (2000-01, 2005-06) Toronto Maple Leafs (2001-04) Honors: Stanley Cup champion: 1999-2000 (New Jersey Devils) Olympic gold medalist: 1988 (Soviet Union) Lady Byng Trophy winner: 2002-03 (Toronto Maple Leafs) Six-time NHL All-Star (1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 2000-01, 2002-03) One of 30 players ever to be a part of the "Triple Gold Club," for winning a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal, and World Championship gold medal Stats: Games played: 990 Regular season: 1,032 points (473 goals, 559 assists) Playoffs: 86 points (39 goals, 47 assists) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hockey Hall of Fame 2025: Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton highlight class
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Bruins Announce Numbers For New Additions
The Boston Bruins have made multiple new additions in what has been a busy off-season for them. This was expected, as the Original Six club had multiple open spots on their roster and plenty of cap space to work with. While the Bruins did not bring in any big-name additions, they have improved their forward and defensive depth this off-season. As a result of this, there will be plenty of competition to watch once training camp is here. Bruins Defender Switches To New Number For Sean Kuraly Bruins Defender Switches To New Number For Sean Kuraly The Advertisement Boston Bruins brought back Sean Kuraly this off-season by signing him to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.85 million. With this, the veteran forward is expected to be a key part of the Bruins' bottom six once again. After announcing that Sean Kuraly will once again wear No. 52 with the Bruins, the Original Six club has revealed the numbers for the rest of their notable newcomers now. Let's take a look at each of them now. Viktor Arvidsson: No. 71 Viktor Arvidsson has worn No. 33 for the majority of his career, but without any surprise, he won't be rocking it with the Bruins. Bruins legend Zdeno Chara will be the last player to ever wear No. 33 in Boston, as they will undoubtedly retire his number in the future. As a result of this, Arvidsson is making the switch to No. 71. Advertisement Arvidsson will now be the sixth player in Bruins history to wear No. 71. The last player to do so was Oliver Wahlstrom, who sported the number this past season. Other Bruins who have had No. 71 are Taylor Hall, Jiri Slegr, and even Marc Savard before he made the switch to No. 91 in the middle of the 2006-07 season. Tanner Jeannot: No. 84 After wearing No. 10 with the Los Angeles Kings this past season, Tanner Jeannot will be switching to No. 84 with the Bruins. He previously sported No. 84 during his time with both the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning. No. 84 is a rare number in Bruins history, as defenseman Jarred Tinordi is the only player who has worn it. Thus, Jeannot will be just the second player ever to wear No. 84 for the Bruins. Advertisement Michael Eyssimont: No. 81 After wearing No. 23 with the Tampa Bay Lightning and No. 21 with the Seattle Kraken this past season, Michael Eyssimont will be making another number change with the Bruins. Eyssimont's number with the Bruins will be 81. Former Bruins Defenseman Is Best Free Agent Left Former Bruins Defenseman Is Best Free Agent Left We are now roughly halfway through the month of July. As a result of this, things have quieted down significantly around the NHL. The majority of this year's unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have signed their new contracts, most of the big names have landed their new contracts. Eyssimont will be the first player to wear No. 81 since Dmitry Orlov did during the 2022-23 season. The only other Bruins players who had No. 81 were Phil Kessel, Miroslav Satan, and Anton Blidh, so this is another uncommon number in Boston's history. Advertisement Jordan Harris: No. 43 Jordan Harris wore No. 22 with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. However, with Willie Ree's No. 22 being retired by the Bruins, Harris is making the switch to No. 43. Ex-Canadiens Defender Should Shine With Bruins Ex-Canadiens Defender Should Shine With Bruins The Boston Bruins had a busy July 1, as they brought in an array of new players. Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris was among them, as the Bruins signed the Haverill, Massachusetts native to a one-year, $825,000 contract for the 2025-26 season. The last player to wear No. 43 for the Bruins was prospect defenseman Frederic Brunet during the club's 2024-25 season finale against the New Jersey Devils. Thus, this indicates that Brunet will be changing his number with the NHL club. Advertisement Matej Blumel: No. 13 Matej Blumel wore both No. 22 and No. 25 during his time with the Dallas Stars. However, he won't rock either number for the Bruins, as he will instead be going with No. 13. Blumel will be the ninth player to sport No. 13 in Boston's history. The last player to do was Charlie Coyle, as he wore it from the 2018-19 season until he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche at this year's trade deadline. Alex Steeves: No. 21 While with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Steeves wore No. 46. However, he is making a change with the Bruins, as he is set to wear No. 21. Thus, he will not be the first Bruin to wear No. 46 since longtime star David Krejci, who sported the number for his entire 16-year tenure with the Bruins. Bruins Made Smart Move Signing Ex-Maple Leafs Forward Bruins Made Smart Move Signing Ex-Maple Leafs Forward The Advertisement Boston Bruins have brought in plenty of new players this off-season as they continue their retool. Among the bunch expected to be on the Bruins' opening night roster are Tanner Jeannot, Viktor Arvidsson, Sean Kuraly, Michael Eyssimont, and Jordan Harris. However, they also signed some intriguing depth players who could end up being solid additions to their group. No. 21 is an incredibly popular number in Boston's history, as Steeves will be the 33rd Bruin to wear it. James van Riemsdyk was the last Bruin to do so, which was during the 2023-24 campaign. Victor Soderstrom: No. 29 Victor Soderstrom wore No. 77 during his time with the Arizona Coyotes, but that was obviously not an option with Boston, as it has been retired for Bruins legend Ray Bourque. Thus, Soderstrom will instead sport No. 29 with the Bruins. Advertisement Soderstrom is now the 40th player in the history of the Bruins to have No. 29. The last player to do so was defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who rocked the number these past two seasons before signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins this off-season. Photo Credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Global News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Global News
‘Largest hockey player on the planet' may be headed to Ontario Hockey League
The CHL held its annual import draft on Wednesday and the Brantford Bulldogs selected a giant presence for their blue line in seven-foot defenceman Alexander Karmanov. 'The largest hockey player on the planet is on his way to #BFD,' the team said on X. Karmanov, who hails from Chisinau in Moldova, weighs in at an impressive 273 pounds. He spent last season playing in the U.S. for the Wilkes Barre Scranton Jr. Knights under-16 team, where he recorded 11 goals, 12 assists and 60 penalty minutes in 20 games. The tallest player in NHL history is Ottawa Senators legend Zdeno Chara. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Having already drawn headlines around the world for surpassing even Hall of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara's 6'9″ frame, the towering left shot blueliner will look to work his way to wearing black & gold of his own with the Brantford Bulldogs,' a release from the team offered. Story continues below advertisement Karmanov, who was born in March 2008, is reportedly committed to play hockey at Penn State University and is NHL draft eligible in 2026. CHL teams were allowed to have two non-North American players on their roster every year but that number was recently increased to allow for a third next season. The CHL annually holds a draft among all of the teams from the QMJHL, OHL and WHL to select the rights to players from overseas. Not all those drafted will ever play major junior hockey in Canada, as teams still need to sign the players.
