Darryl Glen Sittler (born September 18, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs , the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings . He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989, the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2016 . In 2017 Sittler was named one of the ' 100 Greatest NHL Players ' in history.
85-513: On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL record for most points by an individual in one game when he scored ten points (six goals and four assists) against the Boston Bruins - a record that still stands after more than forty-six years. He also remains the most recent NHL player to score six goals in one game . Sittler grew up in St. Jacobs, Ontario , and played minor hockey in nearby Elmira . He
170-683: A Second Team All-Star selection. Sittler's scoring totals remained a Leafs record until being surpassed by Doug Gilmour in 1992–93. The 1978–79 season saw Sittler suffer some knee problems and miss ten games. It was also the year Leafs owner Ballard fired and then rehired coach Roger Neilson , a process which saw Sittler lobby on the players' behalf for Neilson's reinstatement. Sittler's relationship with Ballard slowly deteriorated, particularly after Ballard hired Punch Imlach as general manager in July 1979. Imlach and Ballard both had strained relations with NHLPA executive director Alan Eagleson , who, as
255-477: A country song commemorating Sittler's 60th birthday called "The Darryl Sittler Song". Sittler travels across Canada doing public speaking, autograph signings and appearances for various companies, charities and organizations. Sittler also serves as a director to a number of mineral exploration companies, including Wallbridge Mining. Sittler was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame on August 23, 2016. On October 15, 2016, number 27 worn by Sittler and Frank Mahovlich
340-670: A league record by winning 15 consecutive games from January 21 to February 20. This was later eclipsed by the Pittsburgh Penguins' 17-game winning streak from March 9 to April 10, 1993. However, the Islanders 15-game winning streak was accomplished before the advent of overtime in the NHL regular season. Two of the Penguins' wins during their streak, the second and 15th, required overtime. These games would have ended in ties under
425-525: A league that had never seen a 100-point scorer before the 1968–69 season , the Bruins had four that year. All four (Orr, Esposito, Bucyk and Hodge) were named First Team All-Stars. Boston were favored to repeat as Cup champions but lost to the Canadiens (and rookie goaltender Ken Dryden ) in seven games. While the Bruins were not quite as dominant the next season, Esposito and Orr were once again one-two in
510-535: A long and difficult reconstruction period in the early to mid-1960s. Weston Adams repurchased the Bruins in 1964 after Brown's death. Adams signed future superstar defenseman Bobby Orr , who entered the league in 1966 . Orr was that season's winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year and named to the second NHL All-Star Team. Despite Orr's stellar rookie season, the Bruins would miss
595-743: A loss to the Ottawa Senators in a make-up game following the Boston Marathon bombing on April 28 gave the Canadiens the division title. In the opening round of the 2013 playoffs , the Bruins took on the Toronto Maple Leafs, defeating them in seven games. They went on to beat the New York Rangers in five games and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a four-game sweep to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals and
680-532: A player agent, represented more than a dozen Leafs, including Sittler and his best friend and linemate, Lanny McDonald . Imlach believed Sittler had too much influence on the team and tried to undermine his authority with the players. When Sittler and goaltender Mike Palmateer agreed to appear on the TV show Showdown , as negotiated by the NHLPA, Imlach went to court to obtain an injunction to stop them. When Imlach said he
765-505: The 1974 Stanley Cup Finals in an upset to the Philadelphia Flyers . Don Cherry stepped behind the bench as the new coach in 1974–75 . The Bruins stocked themselves with enforcers and grinders, and remained competitive under Cherry's reign, the so-called "Lunch Pail A.C"., behind players such as Gregg Sheppard , Terry O'Reilly , Stan Jonathan and Peter McNab . This would also turn out to be Orr's final full season in
850-614: The 1987–88 NHL season , the Bruins defeated their Original Six nemesis Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs. In 1991 and 1992 , the Bruins suffered two consecutive conference finals losses to the eventual Cup champion, the Pittsburgh Penguins . Starting from the 1992–93 NHL season onwards, the Bruins had not gotten past the second round of the playoffs until winning the Stanley Cup after the 2011 season . The 1992–93 season ended disappointingly. Despite finishing with
935-400: The 1993–94 season, at which point both the divisions and the conferences of the league were renamed to reflect geography. The schedule and playoff format were also altered. Previously, each team played every other team four times, and the 16-team playoff format had the four divisional champions joined by 12 wild-cards; for all intents and purposes, the divisions were meaningless. Also, under
SECTION 10
#17327810160461020-580: The Air Canada Centre for other Leafs greats. In a ceremony, Sittler, with his three grown children at his side, paid tribute to his wife Wendy, who had died of cancer the previous year. In 2004, Sittler appeared as himself in a brief cameo in season two, episode two of the Canadian sitcom, Corner Gas . The episode centred around the disputed ownership of one of Sittler's rookie cards . Vancouver songwriters Dan Swinimer and Jeff Johnson wrote
1105-883: The Art Ross Trophy . This was the final season of the Colorado Rockies before moving to New Jersey to become the Devils. The NHL would return to the Denver area in 1995 , when the Quebec Nordiques relocate to become the Colorado Avalanche . The Winnipeg Jets completed one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in league history as the Jets went from nine wins and 32 points in 1980–81 to 33 wins and 80 points. The Philadelphia Flyers become
1190-624: The Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1991, a year after Ballard died, he rejoined the Maple Leafs organization as a consultant under general manager Cliff Fletcher , also performing public relations duties for the team on an ongoing basis. In 1998, he was ranked number 93 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players . On February 8, 2003, the Leafs honoured Sittler by adding a banner with his number 27 to those already hanging in
1275-625: The Ottawa Senators in the first Stanley Cup Finals between exclusively NHL teams. The Stanley Cup -winning game for the Senators would see Bruins' Billy Coutu attack the referee, earning him a ban from the NHL for life, the only in league history. The 1928–29 season was the first played at Boston Garden . In 1929, the Bruins defeated the New York Rangers to win their first Stanley Cup in two games. Standout players on
1360-523: The Presidents' Trophy four times with their most recent win in 2022–23 featuring the Bruins with 135 points—the most in one season in NHL history. The first facility to host the Bruins was the Boston Arena (now known as Matthews Arena ), the world's oldest (built 1909–10) indoor ice hockey facility still in use for the sport at any level of competition . Following the Bruins' departure from
1445-762: The University of Michigan , and represented the United States at the World Junior Championships on three occasions. His daughter Meaghan Sittler played four seasons at Colby College and on the United States national women's hockey team . In July 1980, Sittler presented Terry Fox with his NHL All-Star Game jersey in Nathan Phillips Square in front of a crowd of over 10,000 supporters. Fox had said Sittler
1530-562: The Vancouver Canucks , defeating them in seven games for the team's first Stanley Cup since 1972. The 2010–11 Bruins were the first team in NHL history to win a game 7 three times in the same playoff run. Following their Stanley Cup win, the Bruins lost Mark Recchi to retirement and Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle to free agency. The Bruins went on to finish second in the Eastern Conference with 102 points, winning
1615-408: The " Kraut line " of center Milt Schmidt , right winger Bobby Bauer and left winger Woody Dumart . In the 1939–40 season , Shore was traded to the struggling New York Americans for his final NHL season. In 1941, the Bruins won their third Stanley Cup after losing only eight games and finishing first in the regular season. It was their last Stanley Cup for 29 years. World War II affected
1700-567: The " Original Six " NHL teams, along with the Detroit Red Wings , Chicago Blackhawks , Montreal Canadiens , New York Rangers , and Toronto Maple Leafs . They have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth-most of any team with the Blackhawks (trailing the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings, with 24, 13, and 11, respectively), and tied for second-most for an NHL team based in the United States. The Bruins have also won
1785-517: The " Original Six ". In 1944, Bruins' Herb Cain set the then-NHL record for points in a season with 82. However, the Bruins did not make the playoffs that season. The stars returned from World War II for the 1945–46 season , and Clapper led the team back to the Stanley Cup Finals as player-coach . He retired as a player after the next season, becoming the first player to play twenty NHL seasons. Brimsek proved to be not as good as he
SECTION 20
#17327810160461870-475: The Arena, after which they became the main tenant of Boston Garden . The Bruins improved in their second season to a winning 17–15–4 record, which originally held the record for the biggest single-season improvement in NHL history, and is now third. However, they missed out on the third and final playoff berth by one point to the expansion Pittsburgh Pirates . In their third season , Ross took advantage of
1955-548: The Boston Arena, the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons, beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995 , when they moved to the TD Garden . In 1924, the NHL made the decision to expand to the United States. The previous year in 1923, sports promoter Thomas Duggan received options on three NHL franchises for the United States, and sold one to Boston grocery magnate Charles Adams . The team
2040-674: The Bruins defeated the St. Louis Blues in four games in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals . Orr scored the game-winning goal in overtime to clinch the Stanley Cup. The same season was Orr's most awarded—the third of eight consecutive years he won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL—and he won the Art Ross Trophy , the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy ,
2125-462: The Bruins finishing seventh in the East, but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils in five games. In 2003–04 , the Bruins won another division title and appeared to get past the first round for the first time in five years with a 3–1 series lead on the rival Canadiens. However, the Canadiens rallied back to win three consecutive games, upsetting the Bruins. The 2004–05 NHL season
2210-475: The Bruins more than most teams; Brimsek and the "Krauts" all enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force following the 1941 Cup win, and lost the most productive years of their careers at war. Cowley, assisted by veteran player Clapper and Busher Jackson , became the team's remaining star. The NHL had by 1942 been reduced, for the next 25 years, to the six teams that would come to be called
2295-463: The Bruins team first played, and a similarly small "49" to the right of the "B", appeared on their home uniforms. The following season, the logo was modified into the basic "spoked-B" form that was to be used thereafter. The 1950s began with Charles Adams' son Weston facing financial trouble. He was forced to accept a buyout offer from Walter A. Brown , the owner of the Boston Celtics and
2380-538: The Bruins to another Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1988 against the Edmonton Oilers . The Bruins lost in a four-game sweep. Boston returned to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1990 (with Neely, Bourque, Craig Janney , Bobby Carpenter , and rookie Don Sweeney , and former Oilers goaltender Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin splitting goaltending duties), but again lost to the Oilers, this time in five games. In
2465-518: The Bruins won the 2010 Winter Classic over the Philadelphia Flyers in a 2–1 overtime decision at Fenway Park , thus becoming the first home team to win an outdoor classic game. They finished in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, and a 2010 NHL playoff opening round appearance against the Buffalo Sabres, which they won 4–2. Boston became only the third team in NHL history to lose a playoff series after leading 3–0 when they lost in game 7 to
2550-491: The Bruins won the first ever NHL game played in the United States, hosting the Montreal Maroons at Boston Arena , with Smokey Harris scoring the first-ever Bruins goal, spurring the Bruins to a 2–1 win. This would be one of the few high points of the season, as the Bruins lost their next 11 games and only managed a 6–24–0 record, finishing in last place in its first season. The Bruins played three more seasons at
2635-519: The Canadian flag. Through the summer, Ballard insisted Sittler would not be back with the Leafs. But before the start of the 1980–81 season , Sittler and Ballard appeared at a news conference described as "all smiles and buddy-buddy" to announce that Sittler would be at training camp. He showed up with the C back on his sweater, reassuming the role of team captain. Sittler had arranged the talks with Ballard on his own. The discussions took place with Imlach hospitalized following his second heart attack. At
Darryl Sittler - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-590: The Canadiens. They subsequently moved into the FleetCenter, now known as the TD Garden . In the 1996 playoffs, the Bruins lost their first-round series to the Florida Panthers in five games. In 1997 , Boston missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 years (and for the first time in the expansion era), having set the North American major professional record for most consecutive seasons in
2805-558: The Chicago Blackhawks, falling in six games, with three going into overtime. In the 2013–14 season , the Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy after finishing first in the newly formed Atlantic Division with a record of 54–19–9 for 117 points. Their regular season success, however, would not translate into another conference finals appearance. Despite winning their first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings,
2890-530: The Garden, in 1951. Although there were some instances of success (such as making the Stanley Cup Finals in 1953 , 1957 , and 1958 , only to lose to the Montreal Canadiens each time), the Bruins mustered only four winning seasons between 1947 and 1967. They missed the playoffs eight consecutive years (1960 to 1967). On January 18, 1958, the first-ever black NHL player, Willie O'Ree , stepped onto
2975-525: The Leafs, saying he was "mentally depressed" because a trade was taking so long to complete. Finally, on January 20, 1982, the 31-year-old Sittler was traded to the Flyers for Rich Costello plus the Hartford Whalers ' second-round pick in the 1982 draft (used by the Leafs to select Peter Ihnačák ), and future considerations, which ended up being Ken Strong . Only Ihnačák would play regularly for
3060-402: The Leafs. In 1980, Imlach had rejected an offer from Philadelphia, who were said to be willing to trade Rick MacLeish and André Dupont for Sittler. With the Flyers in 1982–83 , Sittler earned his fourth All-Star game appearance. He returned to the Flyers the following season. Before the 1984–85 season , Sittler was told he would be named the Flyers' team captain. On the day the announcement
3145-537: The NHL in 1981–82 (listed with their last team): Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games. This was the last season that U.S. national broadcasts were split between the two cable networks ESPN and USA , with each carrying slates of regular season and playoff games. In order to prevent overexposure, the NHL decided to grant only one network exclusive rights. In April 1982, USA outbid ESPN for
3230-463: The NHL record—as the Bruins made the Cup Finals once more, but lost in six games to Montreal. After that series, John Bucyk retired, holding virtually every Bruins' career longevity and scoring mark to that time. The 1979 semifinals series against the Canadiens proved to be Cherry's undoing. In the deciding seventh game, the Bruins, up by a goal, were called for having too many men on the ice in
3315-679: The Northeast Division title, but losing to the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs in seven games. During the off-season preceding the lockout , Tim Thomas made his decision to sit out the 2012–13 season ; his rights were traded to the New York Islanders . The Bruins battled the Montreal Canadiens for leadership in the Northeast Division all season, before
3400-541: The Philadelphia Flyers. In the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs , the Bruins eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in seven games. On May 6, the Bruins swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 1992 . Boston then defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990 to face
3485-494: The Prince of Wales and Clarence S. Campbell trophies were given to the playoff champions of the respective conferences. Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Source: NHL. The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1981–82 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in
Darryl Sittler - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-457: The Rangers. The Bruins made the semifinals again, losing to the Flyers, before losing Orr as a free agent to Chicago in the off-season. Cheevers returned in 1977 , and the Bruins got past the Flyers in the semifinals, but were swept by the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals . The story repeated itself in 1978 —with a balanced attack that saw Boston have 11 players with 20+ goal seasons, still
3655-780: The Wales Conference (Eastern Conference since 1993) playoffs champion and the Campbell Conference (Western Conference since 1993) playoffs champion, respectively. The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 10, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal , Quebec . Dale Hawerchuk was selected first overall by the Winnipeg Jets . The New York Islanders led the league with 118 points, seven more than second place Edmonton Oilers . The Islanders also set
3740-457: The Wings for a few days, but then joined the team. He had an unproductive season, struggling to get ice time under coach Nick Polano , and finishing the year with the worst goals-per-game average of his NHL career. The Red Wings bought out Sittler's contract after the end of the season. He received a one-year contract offer from the Vancouver Canucks , but decided to retire. Sittler was elected to
3825-479: The collapse of the Western Hockey League (WHL) to purchase several western stars, including the team's first great star, defenseman Eddie Shore . With the Bruins, he would go on to become one of the greatest players in NHL history. Boston qualified for the then-expanded playoffs by a comfortable margin. In their first-ever playoff run, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to
3910-415: The division finals. The two division winners of each conference then played in the conference finals. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. In the division semifinals, teams competed in a best-of-five series. In the other three rounds, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each series). From this season forward,
3995-522: The divisional semifinals; the two winners meeting in the divisional finals; followed by the respective conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals. With the exception of the first round changing from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven in 1987, this schedule and playoff arrangement continued until 1993. Beginning with this season, the Prince of Wales Trophy and the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl were awarded to
4080-565: The end of November he would waive his no-trade clause if he was sent to the Flyers or the Minnesota North Stars . In the first week of December, Eagleson agreed to terms with Flyers' owner Ed Snider and North Stars' general manager Lou Nanne . But it took another seven weeks for the Leafs to make a deal. During that time, Sittler added the Islanders and Buffalo Sabres to the list of teams he could be traded to. On January 5, 1982, on advice from his physician, Sittler walked out on
4165-401: The face of the Bruins for over two decades. The Bruins made the playoffs every year through the 1980s behind stars such as Park, Bourque and Rick Middleton , and had the league's best record in 1982–83 behind a Vezina Trophy -winning season from ex-Flyers goaltender Pete Peeters , with 110 points, but fell short of making the Stanley Cup Finals. Bourque, Cam Neely and Keith Crowder led
4250-519: The first championship team included Shore, Harry Oliver , Dit Clapper , Dutch Gainor and goaltender Tiny Thompson . The season after that, 1929–30 , the Bruins posted the best-ever regular season winning percentage in the NHL (.875, a record which still stands) because of a 38–5–1 record, and shattered numerous scoring records, but lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals . The 1930s Bruins teams included Shore, Thompson, Clapper, Babe Siebert and Cooney Weiland . The team led
4335-401: The first team to wear long pants . The idea was to create a more streamlined uniform with lighter padding, thus making the players faster. The downside was that the players slid into the boards faster after being bodychecked. Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes Note: Teams that qualified for
SECTION 50
#17327810160464420-466: The ice for the Bruins. He played in 45 games for the Bruins over the 1957–58 and 1960–61 seasons. The "Uke Line"—named for the Ukrainian heritage of Johnny Bucyk , Vic Stasiuk , and Bronco Horvath – came to Boston in 1957 and enjoyed four productive offensive seasons, heralding, along with scoring stalwarts Don McKenney and Fleming MacKell , the successful era of the late 1950s. There followed
4505-473: The late stages of the third period. Montreal tied the game on the ensuing power play and won in overtime. Cherry was dismissed as head coach thereafter. The 1979–80 season saw a new head coach Fred Creighton , and also included a trade of goaltender Ron Grahame to the Los Angeles Kings for a first-round pick which was used to select Ray Bourque , one of the greatest defensemen of all-time and
4590-579: The league five times in the decade. In 1939 , the team captured its second Stanley Cup. That year, Thompson was traded for rookie goaltender Frank Brimsek . Brimsek had an award-winning season, capturing the Vezina and Calder Trophies , becoming the first rookie named to the NHL first All-Star team, and earning the nickname "Mr. Zero". The team skating in front of Brimsek included Bill Cowley , Shore, Clapper and "Sudden Death" Mel Hill (who scored three overtime goals in one playoff series), together with
4675-573: The league were re-aligned to reduce travel costs to better reflect their geographic locations, but the traditional names of the divisions and conferences were retained. The Patrick Division was moved from the Clarence Campbell Conference to the Prince of Wales Conference , while the Norris Division went the other way, going from the Wales Conference to the Campbell Conference. This divisional alignment existed until
4760-495: The league's top goal scorer and the first NHL player to break the 100-point mark, setting many goal- and point-scoring records. With other stars like forwards Bucyk, John McKenzie , Derek Sanderson , and Hodge, defenders like Dallas Smith and goaltender Gerry Cheevers , the "Big Bad Bruins" became one of the league's top teams from the late 1960s into the 1980s. In 1970 , a 29-year Stanley Cup drought came to an end in Boston, as
4845-595: The league, before his knee injuries worsened, as well as the last time Orr and Esposito would finish 1–2 in regular season scoring. The Bruins placed second in the Adams Division, and lost to the Chicago Black Hawks in the first round of the 1975 playoffs , losing a best-of-three series, two games to one. Continuing with Sinden's rebuilding of the team, the Bruins traded Esposito and Carol Vadnais for Brad Park , Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi to
4930-410: The news conference, Ballard said the real battle had been between Imlach and Eagleson, and Sittler just got caught in the crossfire. During the 1981–82 season , Ballard considered Imlach's health to be too poor for him to continue as general manager. But even with Imlach gone, Sittler's relationship with the Leafs worsened to the point where he told Ballard and acting general manager Gerry McNamara at
5015-470: The old format, teams were paired in the first round based on record (i.e., 1st vs. 16th, 2nd vs. 15th, etc.), and then re-paired in each succeeding round based on record (i.e., highest seeded first round winner vs. lowest seeded first round winner, second highest first round winner vs. second lowest first round winner, etc.) The new format called for each team in the three five-team divisions to play their four divisional opponents eight times each (32 games) and
5100-412: The only player to ever win four major awards in the same season. While Sinden temporarily retired from ice hockey before the 1970–71 season to enter business (he was replaced by ex-Bruins and Canadiens defenseman Tom Johnson ), the Bruins set dozens of offensive scoring records: they had seven of the league's top ten scorers—a feat not achieved before or since—set the record for wins in a season, and in
5185-604: The playoffs after winning the Presidents' Trophy in the previous season. The 96 points they earned that season broke the record for the most points earned by a team that did not make the playoffs. 1981%E2%80%9382 NHL season The 1981–82 NHL season was the 65th season of the National Hockey League . The teams were realigned into divisions that better reflected their geographic locations. The William M. Jennings Trophy made its debut this year as
SECTION 60
#17327810160465270-427: The playoffs are highlighted in bold Under the new postseason format, the top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs. In the division semifinals, the fourth seeded team in each division played against the division winner from their division. The other series matched the second and third place teams from the divisions. The two winning teams from each division's semifinals then met in
5355-436: The playoffs in 2000–01 , and Keenan was let go. Center Jason Allison led the Bruins in scoring. The following season, 2001–02 , the Bruins won their first Northeast Division title since 1993 with a core built around Joe Thornton , Sergei Samsonov , Brian Rolston , Bill Guerin , Mike Knuble and Glen Murray . They lost in six games to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. The 2002–03 season found
5440-424: The playoffs. The next season, Boston made the playoffs for the first of 29 consecutive seasons, an all-time record. The Bruins then obtained forwards Phil Esposito , Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield from Chicago in a deal celebrated as one of the most one-sided in hockey history. Hodge and Stanfield became key elements of the Bruins' success, and Esposito, who centered a line with Hodge and Wayne Cashman , became
5525-407: The playoffs. After a slow start to the 2008–09 season , the Bruins went on to have the best record in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in nine years, facing the Canadiens in the playoffs for the fourth time during that span, defeating them in four games before losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference semifinals. On January 1, 2010,
5610-411: The playoffs. During a game between the Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks on February 21, 2000, Marty McSorley was ejected for using his stick to hit Canucks forward Donald Brashear in the head, and subsequently suspended for what resulted in the rest of his career. After a mediocre start, the Bruins fired coach Pat Burns in favor of Mike Keenan . Despite a 15-point improvement, the Bruins missed
5695-429: The playoffs. The Bruins lost in the first round of the 1998 playoffs to the Washington Capitals in six games. In 1999, the Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in six games during the first round of the playoffs. Nevertheless, they would lose to the Sabres in six games in the second round of the playoffs. In the 1999–2000 season , the Bruins finished in last place in the Northeast Division and failed to qualify for
5780-400: The remaining 16 league teams three times each (48 games). In addition, each team in the six-team division was to play their five divisional opponents seven times each (35 games) and the remaining 15 league teams three times each (45 games). As to the playoffs, the top four teams in each division qualified — no more wild-cards — with 1st place playing 4th place, and 2nd place playing 3rd place, in
5865-458: The rules in place during the 1981–82 season, ending the streak. The Edmonton Oilers ' young superstar Wayne Gretzky broke several records, including the record of 50 goals in 50 games , set by Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy , by scoring 50 goals in only 39 games. Gretzky also broke Phil Esposito 's record of 76 goals in a season with 92, his own assists record of 109 which was set the prior season with 120, and his own point total of 164 which
5950-402: The scoring standings and Boston regained the Stanley Cup by defeating the New York Rangers in six games in the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals . The 1972–73 season saw upheaval for the Bruins. Former head coach Sinden became the general manager. Bruins players Gerry Cheevers , Derek Sanderson , Johnny McKenzie and Ted Green left to join the World Hockey Association (WHA). Coach Tom Johnson
6035-834: The season with 41 goals and 59 assists, being the first Leaf ever to reach the 100 point mark. A few months later, he tied the playoff record for most goals in one game, with five against the Philadelphia Flyers . That summer, in the inaugural Canada Cup , he scored in overtime to win the final series for Team Canada over Czechoslovakia . On February 7, 1976, in a game between Toronto and Boston at Maple Leaf Gardens , Sittler set an NHL record that still stands by tallying six goals and adding four assists for ten points (eclipsing Maurice Richard 's record of eight, set in 1944). All his points were scored against rookie goalie Dave Reece in an 11–4 Maple Leaf victory. In 1977–78 , Sittler's 117 points ranked him third in regular-season scoring behind Guy Lafleur and Bryan Trottier , and also earned him
6120-654: The second-best regular season record after Pittsburgh, Boston was swept in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres . Bourque made the NHL All-Star First Team. The 1995 season was the Bruins' last at the Boston Garden . The final official match played in the Garden was a 3–0 loss to the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 playoffs; the Bruins went on to play the final game at the old arena on September 28, 1995, in an exhibition matchup against
6205-405: The team fell to the Canadiens in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals during the 2014 playoffs . In the 2014–15 season , the Bruins finished with a record of 41–27–14 for 96 points, missing out on the playoffs by just two points after the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators clinched the final two playoff spots in the East. The Bruins therefore became only the third team to miss
6290-406: The team finishing in last place in the division. After the disappointing 2006–07 season , Lewis was fired as coach, replaced by Claude Julien . The 2007–08 campaign saw the Bruins finish 41–29–12 and making the playoffs. Although Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was injured with a concussion most of the season, youngsters Milan Lucic , David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka showed promise in
6375-476: The trophy for the goaltenders from the team with the fewest goals against, thus replacing the Vezina Trophy in that qualifying criteria. The Vezina Trophy would thereafter be awarded to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position. The New York Islanders won their third straight Stanley Cup by sweeping the Vancouver Canucks in four games. Prior to the start of the season, the divisions of
6460-406: Was also set the prior season with 212. He was the first, and thus far only, player to ever score 200 points in a season. The Oilers set a record for most goals in a season with 417, in which Gretzky scored or assisted on over half. The New York Islanders ' Mike Bossy set a regular season scoring record for right-wingers with 147 points in an 80-game season, and finished as runner-up to Gretzky for
6545-401: Was before the war, and after 1946 the Bruins lost in the first playoff round three consecutive years. After Brimsek was traded to the Blackhawks, the only remaining quality young player was forward Johnny Peirson . During the 1948–49 season , the original form of the "spoked-B" logo, with a small number "24" to the left of the capital B signifying the calendar year in the 20th century in which
6630-759: Was drafted out of the Junior C Elmira Sugar Kings by the London Nationals , soon renamed the London Knights , and played under coaches Turk Broda and Bep Guidolin . Sittler was selected eighth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft . He was named team captain on September 10, 1975, after Dave Keon left the team to play in the World Hockey Association following a contract dispute with Leafs owner Harold Ballard . In his first season as captain, Sittler finished
6715-445: Was fired 52 games into the season, replaced by Bep Guidolin . The Adams family, which had owned the team since its founding in the 1920s, sold it to Storer Broadcasting . The Bruins' season came to a premature end in a first-round loss to the Rangers in the 1973 playoffs . In 1974, the Bruins regained their first-place standing in the regular season, with three 100-point scorers on the team (Esposito, Orr, and Hodge). However, they lost
6800-400: Was officially retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs , along with the numbers of 16 other players, to celebrate the team's 100th season. He is the older brother of Gary Sittler who played five games in the World Hockey Association during the 1974–75 WHA season . His son, Ryan Sittler , was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, played hockey at
6885-612: Was one of his favourite athletes. Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston . The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference . The team has been in existence since 1924 , making them the third-oldest active team in the NHL, and the oldest in the United States. The Bruins are one of
6970-495: Was one of the NHL's first expansion teams, and the first NHL team to be based in the United States. Adams' first act as owner was to hire Art Ross , a former star player and innovator, as general manager. Ross came up with "Bruins" for a team nickname, a name for brown bears used in classic folk tales. The team's nickname also went along with the team's original uniform colors of brown and yellow, which came from Adams' grocery chain, First National Stores . On December 1, 1924,
7055-503: Was open to offers for Sittler from other teams, Eagleson said it would cost $ 500,000 to get Sittler to waive the no-trade clause in his contract. So, instead of trading Sittler, Imlach sent McDonald to the woeful Colorado Rockies on December 29, 1979. In response, Sittler ripped the captain's C off his sweater, later commenting a captain had to be the go-between with players and management, and he no longer had any communication with management. Ballard would liken Sittler's actions to burning
7140-481: Was to be made—Sittler even had a brief speech prepared—he was instead told by Flyers' newly appointed general manager Bobby Clarke he had been traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Murray Craven and Joe Paterson . It was this incident that Sittler described as the biggest disappointment of his life. "Clarke can't come close to realizing how much he hurt me, and my family, that day," he wrote in his 1991 autobiography. Sittler contemplated retirement and did not report to
7225-579: Was wiped out by a lockout , and Bruins management eschewed younger free agents in favor of older veterans. The Bruins fired general manager Mike O'Connell in March and the Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. Peter Chiarelli was hired as the new general manager of the team. Head coach Mike Sullivan was fired and Dave Lewis , former coach of the Detroit Red Wings, was hired to replace him. The Bruins signed star defenseman Zdeno Chara , and center Marc Savard . The 2006–07 season ended in
#45954