In the first quarter of this century, no city has dominated the North American professional sports scene like Boston. Six Super Bowls. Four World Series. Two NBA titles. One Stanley Cup. Seven more finals appearances. We’ve experienced euphoria, drama and heartbreak, sometimes just months, weeks or even days apart.
For the Boston Bruins, these last 25 years have seen immense change, with multiple eras ending and beginning. They brought the Stanley Cup back to Boston for the first time in nearly 40 years. They made two other Stanley Cup Finals. They made the playoffs 18 times in a 22-season span from 2002-2024, marking one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. They made numerous high-profile signings, trades, hirings and firings.
As 2025 draws to a close, WEEI.com is ranking the 25 most significant moments for all four teams in town. That distinction of “significant” is key – not all moments of significance are covered in glory.
We had rankings for the Patriots on Monday, the Celtics on Tuesday, and the Red Sox on Wednesday.
Now, we wrap up this fun look back with the 25 most significant moments since 2000 for the Boston Bruins.
Long list of honorable mentions: 2004 Game 7 loss to Habs, Mike O’Connell fired, Harry Sinden steps down as president, Scott Walker punches out B’s in 2009, Marc Savard Game 1 OT winner vs. Philly in 2010 in first game since concussion, Aaron Rome's hit on Nathan Horton in Game 3 of 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Peter Chiarelli fired, Claude Julien fired, Bruce Cassidy fired, David Pastrnak scores 60 in 2022-23, David Pastrnak Game 7 OT winner vs. Leafs in 2024
25. Bruins set points record (April 11, 2023)
It was such a fun season… right up until the playoffs (more on that later). Ultimately, that 2022-23 regular season ends up in the same bin as the Patriots’ 16-0 regular season in 2007 – a magical ride that gets diminished because of how things ended, but a pretty remarkable and historic accomplishment nonetheless. The Bruins finished with an NHL record 65 wins and 135 points.
24. McSorley attacks Brashear (Feb. 21, 2000)
One of the dirtiest and most violent acts ever committed in an NHL game, and it was unfortunately a Bruin who did it. Marty McSorley was suspended a full year for swinging his stick at Donald Brashear’s head, found guilty of assault with a weapon, and ultimately never played another NHL game.
23. 2010 Winter Classic (Jan. 1, 2010)
You can argue that the Winter Classic has lost a bit of its luster over the years, but that certainly wasn’t the case back in 2010. The first Winter Classic involving the Bruins was simply magical with Fenway Park as the backdrop. And to make it even more memorable, Mark Recchi tied the game late in regulation before Marco Sturm won it in overtime.
22. 2008 Game 6 vs. Habs (April 19, 2008)
The Bruins ultimately lost this series in seven games, but just forcing a seventh game against the heavily-favored Canadiens was a statement that the B’s were on their way back after miserable seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07. This game was wildly entertaining, with six goals scored in the third period. Phil Kessel gave the Bruins a 4-3 lead with 4:15 remaining, Chris Higgins tied it 11 seconds later, and then Marco Sturm turned in the shift of his life to win it for Boston with 2:37 to go.
21. 2011 Game 5 vs. Habs (April 23, 2011)
Michael Ryder’s glove save in the first period. Tim Thomas robbing Brian Gionta on a 2-on-1 in double overtime. And Nathan Horton scoring his first of several absolutely massive goals during the 2011 Cup run to give the Bruins a 3-2 series lead.
20. Thomas’ stick save (May 23, 2011)
Another iconic, non-Game 7 moment from that 2011 run. The Bruins don’t win that Cup without Tim Thomas, and his diving stick save on Steve Downie to preserve a 2-1 lead in the third period of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals is the one that will forever be featured in every montage of his career and that postseason.
19. Cooke’s hit on Savard (March 7, 2010)
After topping 75 points in each of his first three seasons in Boston, Marc Savard’s career was forever altered at the age of 32 when Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke blindsided him with a vicious hit to the head. Savard did return for the second round of the playoffs in 2010 and played 25 more games during the 2010-11 season, but a second concussion ultimately ended his career. Cooke’s hit, which did not result in a penalty, fine or suspension because of the rules at the time, led to changes in how blindside hits would be punished moving forward.
18. Campbell plays through broken leg (June 5, 2013)
Even by hockey player standards, this was an incredible display of toughness. During Game 3 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals, Gregory Campbell went down to block an Evgeni Malkin slap shot while killing a penalty. Campbell, as it turned out, had suffered a broken right fibula, but he still found a way to limp through the rest of the shift, helping the Bruins get the kill and keep the game tied.
17. Chara plays through broken jaw (June 6, 2019)
Speaking of incredible displays of toughness, Zdeno Chara was supposed to be done for the series after breaking his jaw in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Instead, he didn’t miss a game, playing with a full shield and his jaw wired shut. He couldn’t talk, and had to tell general manager Don Sweeney he was playing via a handwritten note. The ovation he received before Game 5 at TD Garden was one of the loudest we’ll ever hear. If any Bruin deserved a better ending to this series, it was Chara.
16. First game after Marathon bombing (April 17, 2013)
Another goosebumps-inducing moment at TD Garden. Two days after the horrific Boston Marathon bombing, the Bruins hosted the Buffalo Sabres in the first major sporting event in the city after that attack – while the suspects were still on the run. Going to the game felt unsettling, but being there felt unifying. There was a pregame “Boston Strong” video to commemorate those who had been killed or injured, and then there was Rene Rancourt beginning the national anthem before turning it over to the crowd – the most unforgettable national anthem I have personally ever experienced.
15. The 2015 draft (June 26, 2015)
Needing to make some tough cap decisions after taking over from Peter Chiarelli, Don Sweeney traded away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton and suddenly found himself with three straight picks – 13, 14 and 15 overall – in the first round of the 2015 draft. He took Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk and Zach Senyshyn. The latter two were considered reaches at the time. Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor would have been considered great values, but the Bruins passed on both. They left Thomas Chabot, Brock Boeser and Travis Konecny on the board as well. DeBrusk had a good not great run in Boston, Zboril barely made an impact, and Senyshyn was a full-blown miss. Ten years later, Sweeney still hasn’t been able to escape the hellish criticism that followed this draft.
14. The Kessel trade (Sept. 18, 2009)
Phil Kessel, the fifth overall pick in 2006, appeared to be on the verge of Bruins stardom at 21 years old, scoring 36 goals in 2008-09 and putting together a stellar playoff run. But amid a contract dispute and clashes with coach Claude Julien, Boston decided to trade him to Toronto for two first-round picks. It looked like a great trade for a while, as both picks ended up in the top 10 and turned into Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton. But both of them would also end up being traded away young, which brings us to…
13. The Seguin trade (July 4, 2013)
Tyler Seguin was the Bruins’ highest draft pick since Joe Thornton. He helped them win a Stanley Cup at 19 years old. He led the team in scoring at 20. He signed an affordable six-year extension in 2012. But after a quiet 2013 postseason, the Bruins shockingly traded Seguin to the Dallas Stars for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Joe Morrow and Matt Fraser. Plenty of rumors surfaced regarding Seguin’s off-ice exploits, but nevertheless, it was obvious in real time that GM Peter Chiarelli hadn’t gotten enough in return.
12. The Marchand trade (March 7, 2025)
You could expand this to include all three deadline day deals that Don Sweeney made this past March – and it’s certainly possible that we’ll remember the complete picture fondly if the Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo returns continue to pay dividends in the years to come. But it was the Brad Marchand part of the picture that was the most stunning in the moment, especially since the Bruins sent him to the rival Florida Panthers, and especially since they only got a single future draft pick in return (which is now a first-rounder, at least). Marchand was the last remaining player from the 2011 Cup team, so this trade truly marked the end of that era.
11. The Bourque trade (March 6, 2000)
At least Marchand won a Cup with the Bruins. Twenty-five years earlier, the Bruins traded a captain and franchise legend precisely because they hadn’t won, and Ray Bourque wanted a chance to do so elsewhere. Sure, the Bruins had long been competitive, and they did make two Cup Finals with Bourque, but the fact that he needed to go to the Colorado Avalanche to finally win it all was a damning indictment of Boston’s inability to get over the hump in the '80s and '90s. Trading Bourque, like trading Marchand many years later, marked the end of an era.
10. The Thornton trade (Nov. 30, 2005)
As you can tell, there have been some very memorable Bruins trades in the last 25 years. But the Joe Thornton trade remains the most shocking of them all as far as I’m concerned. Kessel and Seguin weren’t yet in their primes. Bourque and Marchand were past their primes (although still damn good in both cases). Thornton was smack in the middle of his prime and one of the best players in the world. In fact, he led the NHL in points and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in the same season the Bruins traded him. By the end of that disastrous 2005-06 season, general manager Mike O’Connell would be fired and the Bruins would be in need of a major franchise reset, which brings us to…
9. The Chara signing (July 1, 2006)
The greatest free-agent signing in Bruins history, and one of the best in NHL history. Boston named Zdeno Chara captain upon inking him to a five-year, $37.5 million contract, and Chara went to work on creating a new Bruins culture in his image. It didn’t pay immediate dividends in 2006-07, but it did in the years that followed as the Bruins built towards their first Stanley Cup in 39 years in 2011. Chara became one of the most feared and dominant defensemen of his era, and is now a Hockey Hall of Famer. His number 33 will be raised to the TD Garden rafters on Jan. 15.
8. 2010 3-0 choke vs. Flyers (May 14, 2010)
Brace yourself: These next few are going to be a rough ride. Only two teams in NHL history had blown a 3-0 series lead before the 2010 Bruins did so in the second round against Philadelphia. To make matters worse, they also blew a 3-0 lead in Game 7 itself, slowly bleeding out in just about the most painful way possible. It would haunt Tuukka Rask, in particular, for years to come. That the Bruins were very banged-up by this point (Marco Sturm went down in Game 1 and David Krejci in Game 3, and Dennis Seidenberg was already done for the season) didn’t make this any easier to swallow.
7. 2013 Game 6 collapse vs. Blackhawks (June 24, 2013)
Maybe the Bruins would have been too banged-up to win a Game 7 in Chicago anyways – Patrice Bergeron would not have been able to play due to his punctured lung – but it would have been nice to find out. Instead, they gave up two goals 17 seconds apart in the final 1:16 of Game 6 at TD Garden, watching a 2-1 lead flip to a Blackhawks Cup celebration in the blink of an eye.
6. 2023 Game 7 shock vs. Panthers (April 30, 2023)
The greatest regular-season team in NHL history… knocked out in the first round. A lot went wrong, obviously. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci both suffered injuries late in the regular season and missed playoff games before returning at less than 100%. Linus Ullmark was banged up. Jim Montgomery made a number of questionable lineup decisions. And yet, the Bruins still led the series 3-1, and still had third-period leads in Game 6 and Game 7. Brandon Montour tied Game 7 with a minute left in regulation, and Carter Verhaeghe stunned the Garden 8:35 into overtime. No matter how you slice it, it was an inexcusable collapse and an all-time missed opportunity.
5. 2019 Game 7 dud vs. Blues (June 12, 2019)
Never in my lifetime had there been more excitement leading up to a Bruins home game. And never have I felt all the air slowly leave a building the way it did as Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final played out. The Bruins peppered Jordan Binnington early on, but couldn’t score. Then they fell behind 2-0 late in the first, with the second goal coming with eight seconds left in the period after an ill-advised line change from Brad Marchand. The game wasn’t over at that point, but it might as well have been. Just a complete dud of a performance, a borderline no-show on the sport’s biggest stage.
4. 2013 Game 7 comeback vs. Leafs (May 13, 2013)
OK, enough of the bad stuff. Let’s finish with the good. This looked like it was going to be a Game 7 dud in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, as the Bruins fell down 4-1 to Toronto early in the third period. Nathan Horton got one back with 10:42 to go. Then the real fun started. Milan Lucic pulled Boston within one with 1:22 to go. Patrice Bergeron tied it 31 seconds later. The Garden was going absolutely bonkers. In overtime, it was once again Bergeron, Bergeron, Bergeron, completing one of the most stunning Game 7 comebacks in NHL history.
3. 2011 Game 7 win over Habs (April 27, 2011)
The first of three Game 7 wins en route to the Cup. P.K. Subban tied it with 1:57 left in regulation, but then Nathan Horton scored his second overtime winner of the series 5:43 into the extra session, sending TD Garden into a frenzy. A thrilling end to a thrilling series, one that saw the Bruins climb out of a 2-0 hole and win three of the final four games in overtime.
2. 2011 Game 7 win over Lightning (May 27, 2011)
Quite possibly the best-played hockey game I’ve ever seen. Zero penalties. 62 combined shots on goal. But zero goals through 52 minutes as Tim Thomas and Dwayne Roloson dueled each other. With 7:33 to go, the Bruins finally broke through, shredding Tampa Bay’s vaunted 1-3-1 trap with a perfect transition play from Andrew Ference to David Krejci to Nathan Horton, who scored yet another massive goal during this Cup run. The 1-0 victory sent the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990.
1. Bruins win the Stanley Cup (June 15, 2011)
Obviously. The Bruins’ first Stanley Cup since 1972, and still their only Cup in the last 53 years. The home team had won each of the first six games of the 2011 Final, with the Canucks’ three wins all coming by one goal and Boston’s three wins all coming in blowout fashion. In Game 7, the Bruins finally brought their dominance to Vancouver, cruising to a 4-0 victory. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand each scored twice, with Bergeron’s shorthanded goal to make it 3-0 late in the second really serving as the dagger. Tim Thomas stopped all 37 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the Final. He finished the series with a sterling .967 save percentage and rightly won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.