How Many Stanley Cups Did the Boston Bruins Win?
Every hockey fans know that the Boston Bruins are one of the oldest and most prestigious teams in NHL history. Year after year, Boston Bruins tickets are in high demand regardless of how good or bad the team is that season. Of course, it’s always better when the Boston Bruins win games and compete for championships. But just how many Stanley Cups did the Boston Bruins win? And what is their history like when it comes to competing for championships? Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and take a closer look at the Bruins championships and some of the best moments in franchise history.
The First Time
The Bruins played their first season during the 1924-1925 campaign, and it didn’t take them long to reach the top of the mountain. In just their third season as a franchise, Boston reached the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose to the Ottawa Senators. Two years later, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals again, this time beating the New York Rangers in both games to win the first championship in franchise history. Of course, Boston would lead the NHL in points three times during the next four seasons but failed to win another championship. The Bruins had a chance at back-to-back titles in 1930, only to fall to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The First Dynasty
The Bruins put together a mini-dynasty during the late 1930s and early 40s, becoming one of the preeminent franchises in the NHL during that time. Between the 1937-38 season and the 1940-41 season, Boston led the NHL in points in four straight seasons. That four-year stretch also included two Stanley Cups. In 1939, they survived a seven-game series with the Rangers during the semifinals and then took care of the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 in the Stanley Cup Finals. Two years later, it was the Maple Leafs who pushed them to seven games in the semifinals. But the Bruins survived and then swept the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals to win their third championship in franchise history.
Three Decades of Desperation
After beating Detroit to win the 1941 Stanley Cup, the Bruins needed to wait nearly three decades to win another championship. Of course, it wasn’t all bad news for Boston during that time, even if the Boston Red Sox were simultaneously experiencing their own championship drought. The Bruins managed to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1943, 1946, 1953, 1957, and 1958. Unfortunately, they lost the finals all five times, including four losses to the Canadiens. The loss in the 1958 Stanley Cup Finals was soon followed by eight straight seasons from 1960 to 1967, in which Boston failed to qualify for the playoffs.
The Drought Ends
In 1970, the Bruins spectacularly ended their championship drought. Even with the playoffs expanded to eight teams, Boston went 12-2 during the postseason, sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in the semifinals and sweeping the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Finals to win their fourth championship. They followed up that championship by setting a franchise record with 121 points during the 1970-71 campaign, only to have the Canadiens knock them off in the quarterfinals. But the Bruins would come back strong the following year, leading the NHL with 119 points during the regular season before beating the Maple Leafs, Blues, and Rangers on their way to their second Stanley Cup win in three years. The Bruins even had a chance to win three titles in five years but lost the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
Coming Up Short
After winning the 1972 Stanley Cup, the Bruins would have to endure another long wait. Boston lost both the 1977 and 1978 Stanley Cup Finals to the Canadiens and were eliminated by the Canadiens again in 1979. By the late 1980s, it was the Edmonton Oilers getting in Boston’s way, beating the Bruins in the 1988 and 1990 Stanley Cup Finals. After those two losses, it would be more than 20 years until the Bruins had another chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Number Six is Sweet
During the 2010-11 season, the Bruins finally won their sixth and most recent championship. Fittingly, they knocked off the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs, surviving a tight, seven-game series. After sweeping the Flyers in the next round, Boston had to endure a seven-game series with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Conference Finals. That was followed by a seven-game series in the Stanley Cup Finals with the Vancouver Canucks. After losing Game 2 in overtime, the Bruins were behind 2-0 in the series. But the Bruins won the next two games, 8-1 and 4-0, to even the series. Ultimately, the series was tied 3-3, with the home team winning every game. However, the Bruins broke that streak with a convincing 4-0 Game 7 win in Vancouver, bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston after a nearly 40-year wait. Unfortunately, the Bruins came up short two years later, losing to the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. However, the quest continues for Boston’s seventh Stanley Cup victory.