Best of the Bruins

Among the “Original Six” National Hockey League clubs to survive the Great Depression, the Boston Bruins have a vibrant history. Entering the 2019-2020 campaign, the team ranked fourth all-time, with six Stanley Cup championships. Some of the most gifted players in NHL history have skated for the Bruins over the years. This detailed survey tells the individual stories of the players and coaches, past and present, who have helped make the Bruins perennial contenders for close to a century.

Jonathan Weeks has authored several sports biographies and two novels. He lives in Malone, New York.

Jonathan Weeks
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 203
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2021
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8397-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4225-3
Imprint: McFarland

Preface vi
Introduction: A Brief History of the Bruins 1
1. Centers 5
Cooney Weiland, Marty Barry, Nels Stewart, Bill Cowley, Milt Schmidt, Don McKenney, Bronco Horvath, Derek Sanderson, Fred Stanfield, Phil Esposito, Gregg Sheppard, Jean Ratelle, Peter McNab, Barry Pederson, Steve Kasper, Ken Linseman, Craig Janney, Adam Oates, Joe Thornton, Brian Rolston, Patrice Bergeron, Marc Savard, David Krejci
2. Right-Wingers 36
Harry Oliver, Dit Clapper, Bobby Bauer, Johnny Peirson, Leo Labine, Ed Westfall, John McKenzie, Ken Hodge, Terry O’Reilly, Bobby Schmautz, Rick Middleton, Keith Crowder, Cam Neely, Glen Murray, Steve Heinze, David Pastrnak
3. Left-Wingers 57
Red Beattie, Woody Dumart, Roy Conacher, Herb Cain, Vic Stasiuk, Johnny Bucyk, Wayne Cashman, Don Marcotte, Stan Jonathan, Randy Burridge, Ted Donato, Sergei Samsonov, P.J. Axelsson, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand
4. Defensemen 78
Lionel Hitchman, Eddie Shore, Flash Hollett, Murray Henderson, Fern Flaman, Bill Quackenbush, Doug Mohns, Leo Boivin, Dallas Smith, Ted Green, Gary Doak, Bobby Orr, Rick Smith, Brad Park, Mike Milbury, Ray Bourque, Glen Wesley, Don Sweeney, Kyle McLaren, Hal Gill, Zdeno Chara, Andrew Ference, Johnny Boychuk, Adam McQuaid, Dennis Seidenberg, Torey Krug
5. Goalies 116
Cecil Thompson, Frank Brimsek, Jim Henry, Don Simmons, Eddie Johnston, Gerry Cheevers, Gilles Gilbert, Pete Peeters, Reggie Lemelin, Andy Moog, Byron Dafoe, Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask
6. Hall of Famers Briefly with the Bruins 136
Sprague Cleghorn, Frank Fredrickson, Duke Keats, Mickey MacKay, Cy Denneny, Billy Burch, Babe Siebert, Bun Cook, Hooley Smith, Sylvio Mantha, Busher Jackson, Babe Pratt, Terry Sawchuk, Allan Stanley, Willie O’Ree, Tom Johnson, Bernie Parent, Jacques Plante, Rogie Vachon, Guy Lapointe, Joe Mullen, Dave Andreychuk, Paul Coffey, Brian Leetch, Mark Recchi, Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla
7. Coaches 156
Art Ross; Claude Julien; Don Cherry; Harry Sinden; Tom Johnson; Cooney Weiland; Mike Milbury; Terry O’Reilly; Gerry Cheevers; Bruce Cassidy
Appendix A: Lifetime Statistics of Featured Players (Through ­2019-20) 161
Appendix B: Bruins Playoff Appearances and Results 165
Chapter Notes 175
Bibliography 183
Index 191

Review Fix chats with author Jonathan Weeks, who discusses his book, Best of the Bruins: Boston’s All-Time Great Hockey Players and Coaches.

Review Fix: Why hockey?

Jonathan Weeks: I’ve been a fan of the sport since my elementary school years. I’ve always found skating to be a bit challenging so I developed a deep respect for players at any level of the game. Although I never played organized ice hockey, I participated in winter pick-up games at our local park when it was cold enough for the pond to freeze over. Man, that puck hurt if you weren’t wearing pads!! My friends and I also played a lot of street hockey and there was a floor hockey league at our local YMCA.

Review Fix: Why the Bruins?

Weeks: I have always said that I never picked my teams, they picked me. I can remember when cable TV was relatively new, one of the few channels in my hometown that broadcast NHL games was WSBK out of Boston. I was introduced to the sport during the era of “The Big Bad Bruins.” I vividly remember the opening highlight reel before every game with the song, “The Nut Rocker” playing in the background. Those were good times.

Review Fix: What did you learn about the team you weren’t expecting?

Weeks: I realized that, in the grand scheme of things, the Bruins have not really won too many Stanley Cups. And for so many years, it was the Montreal Canadiens standing in their way. I developed a true understanding of why Bruins fans are resentful of the Canadiens and why the rivalry still exists.

Review Fix: Who’s your favorite Bruins player of all-time?

Weeks: Oh, man—tough question. I can’t pick just one because I have so many. Among players I have actually seen, I would pick Bobby Orr, Gerry Cheevers, Cam Neely, Ray Bourque, Patrice Bergeron, and currently—David Pastrnak. He’s a fun player.

Review Fix: What player did you grow an appreciation for by writing this book?

Weeks: Bobby Orr. I discovered that not only was he a great hockey player but he’s a terrific person too. That’s not always true of famous people. I have often been disappointed after learning what some of my favorite athletes were like on a personal level.

Review Fix: Will other NHL fans dig this one too?

Weeks: I think so. A lot of the Bruins’ biggest stars played elsewhere before and after their time in Boston. Also—the Bruins are one of the Original Six. Anyone with an interest in NHL history should find the subject matter intriguing.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Weeks: I’ve published several books since Best of the Bruins. I’ve been writing about baseball for well over a decade now. In fact, I have a book being released this month through Lyons Press. It’s a biography entitled, Tales of the Yankee Clipper: Stories and Reflections on Joe DiMaggio. The book is the final part of a New York Yankee Trilogy that includes Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle biographies. Before the Bruins book, I worked with McFarland on a project called, The Umpire Was Blind: Controversial Calls by MLB’s Men in Blue. The title kind of says it all. I really enjoyed writing that one.

Review Fix: Where can people find out more?

Weeks: JonathanWeeks.blogspot.com

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Weeks: I’d just like to say thanks for taking an interest in my work. I greatly appreciate it.