Bruins Homegrown Heroes Share What It Means To Play For Boston
Obviously I’m probably a little bit biased cuz I’ve grown up here to sign that contract finally with the hometown team is amazing being a kid from natic natic Mass 18 miles west going to the Garden you grow up as a as a kid in this town what 12 miles from the garden
You dream about playing in the NHL you dream about playing for the Boston Bruins and then that dream comes true it does happen kids it does happen it can happen to You surreal it was uh um also a chance to get a feel for the competition it was just like it was at such a different level St Louis had a guy by the name of Bob gof at the time and he was a tough SOB man he was tough I mean we had
O’Reilly was on the team and he was good I didn’t play much that night but my my lasting memory besides just you know looking around at where I am I how I how how did I get here was that if I were going to if I were going to make it I
Had to realize what I was up against and this was a a whole different breed of cat I have fond memories of uh you know being in my bed late at night you know 11 o’clock with the radio on listening to the Bruins on the West Coast knowing
I had to be up at 4:30 to go to you know to play practice hockey myself so it’s one thing to play for your your childhood team a team that you’ve always growing up watching and wanted to be a part of one day and then add on top of
That that we’re we got a great team in that locker room and and we have a special special group in there um so you want to make the most of it and you want to prove what we have I went I went to Mama aners in the north end with my
Whole family and friends I’ll never forget it and I said and I and I said this again again in the beginning of the interview once you’re a bruin you’re always a bruan so it didn’t matter me if I ever went back again and I ended up
Playing another 480 games in the NHL but uh I didn’t I didn’t I didn’t care I made the I made a shift I feel like the Bruins do a really good job of making you very aware of players that have come in and meant a lot to the
Organization um just to see the the number of people who have had such an impact along the years it’s it has this aura about it when you put on that Jersey and you step into the rink it just it feels a little bit different than going anywhere else to do
That you know for my position to to do that in front of family friends that you get to see and and kind of be home and go to Thanksgiving be home for Christmas those things they’re little things but they’re big things um I’m very fortunate to be in that position obviously I’m
Probably a little bit biased cuz I’ve growing up here and um I got to play there in college and stuff like like that but um goes back to that culture it just it means a little bit more playing for the Bruins to sign that contract finally with the hometown team is
Amazing but I think the when it really hits home is when you you put that sweater on for the first time and you’re sitting in the locker room next to Ray Bor or Rick Middleton that’s like you go wow I’m here but it’s not just me it’s
It’s everyone who’s helped me and from from my family Community grew up in wouth and and Beyond so I feel very very fortunate you grow up as a as a kid in this town what 12 miles from the garden you dream about playing in the NHL you dream about playing for the Boston
Bruins and then that dream comes true and that dream was everything and then some than what I thought it would be and continues to this day cuz once a breu always a br
From Mike Milbury to Andy Brickley, Charlie Coyle and Matt Gryzelcyk, your favorite hometown Bruins describe what it means to wear the spoked B.
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