The Boston Bruins are next on the docket as the NHL unveiled its latest quarter-century team Tuesday.
Representing the top players who have suited up for the Massachusetts club over the past 25 years, the first squad counts forwards Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Tim Thomas.
A 2003 second-round selection by the Bruins, Bergeron spent his entire career in Boston, counting 19 seasons from 2003-23. A dominant two-way forward, Bergeron claimed the Selke Trophy an NHL-record six times, while through 1,294 career contests he collected 1,040 points to rank third in all-time scoring for the Original Six franchise. Alongside Krejci, Marchand, Chara, and Thomas, Bergeron captured the Stanley Cup in 2011.
Like Bergeron, Krejci spent his entire 16-year career in Boston, playing the role of an important pivot at both ends of the ice. En route to the Bruins’ sixth-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2011, Krejci paced all postseason performers with 23 points in 25 games, then two years later did the same in amassing 26 points in 22 games en route to the Stanley Cup Final.
The current Bruins captain, Marchand has spent 16 seasons with Boston where through 1,074 career contests he has registered 416 goals with 546 assists to rank fifth in franchise scoring with 962 points. Marchand also trails only Ray Bourque in Bruins’ playoff scoring, having collected 138 points through 157 postseason games, including 19 points in 25 games during the 2011 win.
On the blue line, Chara captained the Bruins from his arrival in 2006 and before ultimately playing 14 seasons with the club. Through 1,023 total appearances, Chara racked up 481 points to rank third in franchise scoring among defensemen. Of note, in 2008-09, the Slovak-born blue-liner registered 50 points in 80 games en route to Norris Trophy honors as the NHL’s Defenseman of the Year. In 2011, Chara captained the Bruins to the Stanley Cup.
Joining Chara on the back end, McAvoy is in his eighth regular-season campaign with the Bruins. Chosen 14th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, McAvoy has made 499 appearances with the Bruins in which he has registered 58 goals and 239 assists for 297 points.
Between the pipes, Thomas spent eight seasons in Boston, underscored by two-time Vezina Trophy recognition in 2008-09 and 2010-11. The latter season also saw Thomas claim the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, where through 25 postseason outings he posted a .940 save percentage with a 1.98 goals-against average en route to Lord Stanley.
Headlining the second team includes forwards Milan Lucic, David Pastrnak, and Joe Thornton, rearguards Torey Krug and Dennis Seidenberg, and netminder Tuukka Rask.
A second-round selection from the 2006 NHL Draft, Lucic skated eight seasons with the Bruins from 2007-15 before returning for an abbreviated stint a year ago. In all, Lucic made 570 appearances in Boston, totaling 139 goals and 205 assists for 344 points with 774 penalty minutes. Lucic was also a force through Boston’s two runs to the Stanley Cup Final, combining for 31 points in 47 playoff outings.
The current offensive engine of the Bruins, 28-year-old Pastrnak was selected by Boston in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft. In the ensuing years, the Czech-born forward has scored north of point-per-game production counting 367 goals and 405 assists through 11 seasons and 719 career contests. Pastrnak is coming off back-to-back triple-digit point seasons, having amassed a combined 223 points through the past two campaigns.
Selected atop the 1997 NHL Draft, Thornton spent eight seasons in Boston from 1997 to 2006, underscored by the 2002-03 campaign when he paced the Bruins with a team-leading 101 points counting 36 goals and 65 assists through 77 showings.
Joining the Bruins in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, Krug saw nine seasons in Boston, becoming an offensive leader on the back end. Krug’s time in Boston is highlighted by three consecutive seasons in which he reached the 50-point plateau from 2016-19, years in which he led all Boston rearguards offensively.
A defensive-minded blue-liner, Seidenberg joined the Bruins for seven seasons between 2009-16 and was a part of the squad that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2011. Through it all, the German-born defenseman saw 401 appearances in which he notched 117 points.
Spending his entire career in Boston from 2007-22, Rask’s time in Massachusetts amassed 564 career contests in which he notched a franchise-record 308 wins. Among the highlights, in 2013-14, Rask claimed the Vezina Trophy after posting a 36-15-6 showing with seven shutouts, a .930 save percentage, and a 2.04 goals-against average.
