Boston Sports Then and Now

After giving the fans of the Black and Gold a few days to ponder picks #10-#6 of the best goaltenders in Boston Bruins history, here are the top five.

Make sure your pads are on tight and your mask is snug, it’s shoot out time!

Let the debate begin.

In case you need to refresh your memory, here is the link to picks #10 – #6.

#5 - Eddie Johnston

5. Eddie Johnston – Johnston came to Boston in 1962 after stints in the

Quebec Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Johnston is the last goalie in NHL history to have played in every minute of every game. In the ’63-’64 season, he posted a record of 18-40-12 in 70 games.

In his first five years in the league, the Bruins were not a competitive club. They missed the playoffs every year. However in 1967 with the arrival of expansion, the Bruins began to build a dynasty.

After Orr and Esposito joined the club, the team began to flourish. Johnston served as the back-up to Gerry Cheevers during the Big Bad Bruins days of the 1970’s.  Cheevers and Johnston backstopped Boston to two Stanley Cup titles in 1970 and 1972. Johnston had his best statistical season in ’70-’71 when he won 30 games and posted a 2.53 goals against average.

Johnston won 180 regular season games which is good for fourth all time in Boston Bruins franchise history. He played 11 seasons for Boston before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

#4 - Gilles Gilbert

4. Gilles Gilbert – Gilles Gilbert came to Boston via Minnesota to replace legend, Gerry Cheevers. Cheevers bolted for the fledgling WHA and Gilbert became the Bruins primary goalie during the ’73-’74 season.

No one replaces Cheevers, but Gilbert made Bruins fans forget him a little. Gilles won 34 games and led the Bruins to Stanley Cup Finals that year. He won ten playoff games, but Boston lost to Philadelphia, four games to two.

During the ’75-’76 season, Gilbert set a record which still stands for most consecutive wins with 17. He would finish the season with 33 wins and a GAA of 2.90.

Gerry Cheevers returned to the NHL and the Bruins during the ’76-’77 season. Gilbert and Cheevers would share goal tending duties for the next four seasons. Who knows what numbers Gilbert would have put up if he was the primary goalie?

Both goalies had career years in the ’79-’80 campaign where they both finished as runner ups for the Vezina trophy.

Gilbert would be shipped to Detroit following the season. Gilbert had 155 regular season wins (fifth all time) and 17 playoff victories (fourth all time) in his career with the Boston Bruins.

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Who are the Top 10 backstops in Boston Bruins history?  Some of the names you know and some may not be as familiar to you unless you were born in 1924. Sit back, put on your pads, waffle, favorite mask, grab your stick, and journey with me through Bruins days past and present.

These are the Best Goalies in Boston Bruins history.

#10 - Pete Peeters

10. Pete Peeters – Peeters joined the Bruins in the ’82-’83 season after being traded from the Philadelphia Flyers. He paid instant dividends in his first season with Boston. Peeters posted 40 wins (8 shutouts) with a GAA of 2.36 and won the Vezina Trophy.

He would play 2 more seasons with Boston before being dealt to Washington during the ’85-’86 campaign. Peter Peeters ranks 11^th on the Bruins All Time list with regular 91 regular season wins. He also earned nine wins in the playoffs.

9. Reggie Lemelin – After losing his starting job in Calgary to Mike Vernon, Rejean “Reggie” Lemelin joined the Bruins during the ’87-’88 where he shared  goaltending duties with Andy Moog.

#9 - Reggie Lemelin

During his first full season with the B’s, Lemelin posted 24 wins with a GAA of 2.93, helping Boston to the Stanley Cup Finals against Edmonton. During that playoff run, he won 11 games and had a better GAA (2.64) than he did during the regular season. The Bruins rode Lemelin as Moog struggled in the post season.

The Bruins made a return trip to the Finals in ’89-’90 season. Lemelin was yet again an integral part of the team’s success. He won 22 games with a 2.80 GAA. Moog and Lemelin captured the President’s trophy for fewest goals allowed in the NHL.

The Bruins rode Moog’s hot hand in the playoffs that year. However, they would fall to the Oilers yet again in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Lemelin would play with the Bruins until the ’92-’93 season. He was limited in his last two seasons, posting just 18 wins. Lemelin currently ranks tenth on the Bruins all time regular season list with 92 wins.

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This is the second installment of the Top 10 All Time Transactions of the Boston Bruins. These players were acquired via trade or free agency and had a powerful impact when they played in Boston.

Rick Middleton

5. Rick Middleton-Middleton was drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers in 1973(14^th overall).  After two seasons with NY, where he averaged 45 points, he was shipped to the Bruins for the aging Kenny Hodge.

This trade could be considered one of the most lop sided in Bruins history. Hodge would only play one plus seasons with New York. Middleton, on the other hand, would have a long and stoic career with the Boston Bruins.

Middleton would play for the Spoked B from 1976-1987.  He would score 402 goals and add 496 assists. Middleton was a forty goal scorer four times and potted 51 in the 1981-1982 campaign. He also holds the team record for the most points by a right winger with a 105 points in ’83-’84.

Rick Middleton was also chosen as Co-Captain along with Ray Bourque in 1985 upon the retirement of Terry O’Reilly which he held until his retirement in 1987. “Nifty” as he was nicknamed was indeed just that. He brought a scoring touch, grit, and leadership to Boston for over 10 years.

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The transactions that changed the Bruins.

This is a compilation of the Boston Bruins’ top acquisitions via trade or free agency of all time. All of these players had an impact on the franchise, but not all of them resulted in championships.

These players skated for the Bruins for many years or a short while. However, they are listed here because they all helped the Boston Bruins for the better during their stay.

10. Adam Oates-Oates had a stellar career with Detroit and St. Louis prior to coming to Boston. In St. Louis, he was paired up with sniper Brett Hull. They were one of the most feared tandems in the game. Hull

Adam Oates

had three straight seasons with at least 70 goals and Oates was feeding him the puck.

The Blues dealt Adam Oates to the Bruins after a prolonged hold out. Saint Louis would get pivot man Craig Janney and defenseman, Stephane Quintal in return.  Boston’s management probably had the images of Oates feeding Neely as he did with Hull. However, that dream never came to fruition due to Neely’s injuries.

With Neely sidelined, Oates became a better all around offensive player. In ’92-’93, he had his best career scoring season. Oates posted 45 goals and 97 assists for 142 points which was good for third in the NHL (Mario Lemieux and Pat Lafontaine finished first and second respectively).The Bruins finished with the best record in the league but got swept in the first round of the playoffs.

Oates had another great season in ’93-’94 season when he finished third in the NHL yet again with 112 points.  Oates had 53 points in the lock out season of ’94-’95 and finished his tenure in Boston with two more 70 point plus seasons.

The Bruins were going with a youth movement and traded Oates on March 1, 1997 to the Washington Capitals with Bill Ranford and Rick Tocchet for Jim Carey, Anson Carter, and Jason Allison.  The players the Bruins got in return had sparks of greatness but never had the consistent numbers of Adam Oates. He shouldered the offensive load during his stay in Boston especially with the injuries to Cam Neely.

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The Patriots victory over the Rams began their decade of dominance.

Well the last decade ended like it began, with a lot of unanswered questions for the New England Patriots.

But damn the middle was great!

Let’s take a look back at professional football’s most recent dynasty.

There isn’t much debate on what NFL franchise was the most dominate over the first decade of this millennium.

Sorry Colts fans, your lone Super Bowl Title doesn’t cut the mustard.

Pittsburgh, you had a shot. However, missing the playoffs after your ’05 and ’08 titles cost you in the end.

Philly, if there was an award for losing the most NFC championship games you would have it locked up.

That leaves us with the obvious choice, the New England Patriots.

The team everyone hates and roots against.

The Patriots are despised for their success.

They are now the NY Yankees of football.

Let me throw some staggering numbers and stats at you.

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There was alot to cheer about in Boston over the last 10 years.

The most memorable decade in Boston sports history is drawing to a close and oh what a decade it was!

Six Championships.

Six Victory Parades.

Historic Records.

Blockbuster trades.

The last ten years washed away the 86 year curse of the Red Sox, saw the Patriots win three Lombardi trophies and the Celtics raise banner #17.  Now we are just waiting for the Bruins to join the championship party.

Let’s relive and revel in the top 10 sports moments in Boston, “The City of Champions”.

#10: The Boston Bruins finally win a playoff series.

Yes it may not be a championship, but when you finally win a playoff series after 10 seasons, it’s a big deal.

The Bruins swept the hated Montreal Canadiens in the 2008-2009 NHL playoffs. This was the team’s first playoff series victory since they defeated Carolina in 1999.

Boston would go on to lose to the former “Whale” four games to three in the second round of the playoffs.

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