I grew up playing left D inspired by Mr Ray Bourque so he’s got my vote…
xlf77
My vote probably goes to Cooney Weiland. Used to love watching that guy play
-HeroTheyCallMe-
Gotta be Z, Bourque or Bergy
No_Beautiful_4048
Bergy
SnacksCCM
We’ve been lucky to have many good ones. Bourque was just so fantastic all-around that he’s tough to beat. He’s my vote, but just by a little bit.
Terry O’Reilly sticks out too because no one could mess with any Bruins player without having to answer to him. He’s been beloved by his teammates (and fans) for good reason.
That, and Z (and Bergy too, it was really the two of them) completely changed and set right the Boston locker room for the last 15 years. We don’t win a cup in 2011 (and go back to the finals in ’13 & ’19) without them, and that culture change. It’s going to be so strange without them.
SilentThing
I’m a Finn, so I’ve got less of a touch to the live games as many here, but back in the day I was told Big Joe is a good captain. Thus, I followed the Bruins. Subsequently the team went from Chara to Bergy. My view is obviously biased, but I think that a run of great captains, add in Ray there and you’ve got a long time of excellence. Not quite consecutive, but close.
Ex-Pat-Spaz
This is an UNANSWERABLE question if there was one. We have been blessed from a Captaincy stand point. Pick anyone from Buyck , Cashman, O’Reilly, Ray Ray, Z or Bergeron and that’s leaving off people like Shore, Schmidt, Flaman, Clapper and Hitchman. All of them greats.
vapescaped
Both bucyk and Schmidt won us 2 cups, borque led us to a new era in how the defense can contribute offensively, O’Riley enforced a team mentality like no other, chara protected the team during an awkward “faster, lighter” movement, and bergeron most likely contributed more to a player’s “hockey iq” than any other captain in bruins history.
IMO it’s not really apples to apples, each either brought success to the team, or adapted with the game to give the team what they needed at the right moment.
ParasiticMan
Bergy is my vote
Missing_Mud_Flap
Espo needs some love here too
Mike_Milburys_Shoe_
Chara is one of the only reasons this franchise recovered so quickly when it was middling
PainfulPeanutBlender
It’s strange to me no one has mentioned Orr when there’s a literal statue of him outside the Garden
bradmarchand
Dit Clapper was the greatest captain in Bruins history.
SnooCats8451
Chief/Ray/Chara/Bergy
Mikeilo
Dit
6FootHalfling
Interesting question. Overall I would assume it’s one of the Captains. I don’t necessarily think cups is as important s longevity. I think time with A should also count toward that longevity.
I don’t know enough about anyone other than Chara and Bergeron to have an opinion. But, I don’t think “veteran locker room presence” gets enough credit for what they bring in terms of leadership.
Herbalblend19
I want to say Bourque, but Chara delivered the cup
crazyfoxxy
When I started understanding hockey, it was Middleton. I loved Nifty’s game. And fuck Chris Nilan (Canadians Nilan that is, not Bruins Nilan).
He pulled some pretty bad teams into the playoffs.
5WinsIn5Days
For me, the defining image of a leader is Z playing with a broken jaw in the 2019 SCF at the age of 42. But surprised I haven’t seen Terry O’Reilly mentioned. That dude was tough and a good captain.
jaritadaubenspeck
Milt Schmidt
MrAbadeer
Bergeron & Orr
Tou_Johnson
Bergy has to be my favorite plaer since I seen him start years ago. But you have to give it to Z. He was an absolute beast and it’s Z that changed the culture in Boston for the better. Bergy definitely helped but it has to be Z
Kerslaap
Ray Bourque. Then Bergeron.
GatorMcKlusky
Guys it’s Bobby Orr. What are we doing here?
keltik055
Best TV for wow
CrosseyedManatee
For me it’s Taz. And that isn’t a knock on anyone else either.
ksyoung17
Didn’t have the pleasure of seeing teams before the Bourque-Neely-Oates years, but I’m partial to the guy I’ll run through a wall for, knowing he’s probably beating me to the wall to do it first himself.
Tough to beat Chara in that regard.
SuburbanHell
Raymond Bourque, hands fucking down.
Daisy-if-you-do
Bergeron is forever my ideal bruin.
lordexorr
Bourque was so good. It’s hard to pick anyone but the guy that everyone wanted to see traded to Colorado and then we all cheered for Colorado like they were the Bruins the entire playoff run. When he lifted the cup it felt like a Bruins cup win.
32 Comments
Z
I grew up playing left D inspired by Mr Ray Bourque so he’s got my vote…
My vote probably goes to Cooney Weiland. Used to love watching that guy play
Gotta be Z, Bourque or Bergy
Bergy
We’ve been lucky to have many good ones. Bourque was just so fantastic all-around that he’s tough to beat. He’s my vote, but just by a little bit.
Terry O’Reilly sticks out too because no one could mess with any Bruins player without having to answer to him. He’s been beloved by his teammates (and fans) for good reason.
That, and Z (and Bergy too, it was really the two of them) completely changed and set right the Boston locker room for the last 15 years. We don’t win a cup in 2011 (and go back to the finals in ’13 & ’19) without them, and that culture change. It’s going to be so strange without them.
I’m a Finn, so I’ve got less of a touch to the live games as many here, but back in the day I was told Big Joe is a good captain. Thus, I followed the Bruins. Subsequently the team went from Chara to Bergy. My view is obviously biased, but I think that a run of great captains, add in Ray there and you’ve got a long time of excellence. Not quite consecutive, but close.
This is an UNANSWERABLE question if there was one. We have been blessed from a Captaincy stand point. Pick anyone from Buyck , Cashman, O’Reilly, Ray Ray, Z or Bergeron and that’s leaving off people like Shore, Schmidt, Flaman, Clapper and Hitchman. All of them greats.
Both bucyk and Schmidt won us 2 cups, borque led us to a new era in how the defense can contribute offensively, O’Riley enforced a team mentality like no other, chara protected the team during an awkward “faster, lighter” movement, and bergeron most likely contributed more to a player’s “hockey iq” than any other captain in bruins history.
IMO it’s not really apples to apples, each either brought success to the team, or adapted with the game to give the team what they needed at the right moment.
Bergy is my vote
Espo needs some love here too
Chara is one of the only reasons this franchise recovered so quickly when it was middling
It’s strange to me no one has mentioned Orr when there’s a literal statue of him outside the Garden
Dit Clapper was the greatest captain in Bruins history.
Chief/Ray/Chara/Bergy
Dit
Interesting question. Overall I would assume it’s one of the Captains. I don’t necessarily think cups is as important s longevity. I think time with A should also count toward that longevity.
I don’t know enough about anyone other than Chara and Bergeron to have an opinion. But, I don’t think “veteran locker room presence” gets enough credit for what they bring in terms of leadership.
I want to say Bourque, but Chara delivered the cup
When I started understanding hockey, it was Middleton. I loved Nifty’s game. And fuck Chris Nilan (Canadians Nilan that is, not Bruins Nilan).
For this kind of shit, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XglMBrSMmF8
I’d say Bourque. At least in the modern Era.
He pulled some pretty bad teams into the playoffs.
For me, the defining image of a leader is Z playing with a broken jaw in the 2019 SCF at the age of 42. But surprised I haven’t seen Terry O’Reilly mentioned. That dude was tough and a good captain.
Milt Schmidt
Bergeron & Orr
Bergy has to be my favorite plaer since I seen him start years ago. But you have to give it to Z. He was an absolute beast and it’s Z that changed the culture in Boston for the better. Bergy definitely helped but it has to be Z
Ray Bourque. Then Bergeron.
Guys it’s Bobby Orr. What are we doing here?
Best TV for wow
For me it’s Taz. And that isn’t a knock on anyone else either.
Didn’t have the pleasure of seeing teams before the Bourque-Neely-Oates years, but I’m partial to the guy I’ll run through a wall for, knowing he’s probably beating me to the wall to do it first himself.
Tough to beat Chara in that regard.
Raymond Bourque, hands fucking down.
Bergeron is forever my ideal bruin.
Bourque was so good. It’s hard to pick anyone but the guy that everyone wanted to see traded to Colorado and then we all cheered for Colorado like they were the Bruins the entire playoff run. When he lifted the cup it felt like a Bruins cup win.