ESPN picks Bruins Mount Puckmore

[smithformeragent]

You could go all defensemen.

One per era; Shore, Orr, Bourque and Chara.

Chara changed everything.

Bourque never won here, and it’s sort of fitting to have him up there because he exemplifies the individual greatness of that era and what might have been. Chara represents the culture shift that happened post lockout.

 

[smithformeragent]

Bergeron is Bergeron, but they were cellar dwellers before Chara.

 

[ODAAT]

No Bitz mentions? Bush league

 

[finchster]

The five best players for the Bruins all time are
Orr
Shore
Bourque
Esposito
Schmidt

I take Schmidt over Esposito because Schmidt has an argument to be the most important Bruin ever due to his many roles with the team.

 

[BMC]

You could go all defensemen.

One per era; Shore, Orr, Bourque and Chara.

Chara changed everything.

Bourque never won here, and it’s sort of fitting to have him up there because he exemplifies the individual greatness of that era and what might have been. Chara represents the culture shift that happened post lockout.

In Bourque's defense he never won a Cup in Boston because his teams were always one or two players short of a true Cup winning caliber team and that was not his doing. His Cup Final teams were overachievers (88 and 90)

I agree with you about Zdeno Chara. His signing and Marc Savard's changed everything for the Bruins after the lockout.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

Orr is a lock. Bourque is a top 5 Defenseman of all time and he defined the Bruins for 20 years so he's a lock for me, too. I take Shore as well as he's another all time great D. He was the original star player and defined the franchise in its infancy. For the 4th spot I take Milt. Not only was he an all time great, but he contributed to the franchise in just about every way imaginable, on and off the ice.

 

[DKH]

All time
Orr
Shore
Schmidt
Esposito

Apologies to Bucyk and Bourque

1967-present

Orr
Esposito
Bucyk
Bourque

2011- present

Bergeron
Chara
Marchand (that would be a work of art)
Horton

Pastrnak knocks Horton off in a few years

 

[Roll 4 Lines]

It's the easiest ever.

Orr, Shore, Bourque, Milt.

Simple as that.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Orr, Bourque, Neely, G Tim Thomas

 

[BruinDust]

It's the easiest ever.

Orr, Shore, Bourque, Milt.

Simple as that.

Personally I think this is the right 4 guys taking everything into account.

Bergeron and Esposito are very, very close but just miss the cut by a thin margin.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Orr, Bourque, Chara. You could put a handful of players in the last spot, Neely, Bergeron, Espo, Shore.

 

[mjhfb]

I agree with Shore and also O'Reilly. Terry O'Reilly clearly defines a Bruin. As tough as anyone who ever laced up the uniform, averaged around 200 PIM, yet someone who worked so hard to get better he became the Captain and a multi-20 goal scorer peaking at 90 points. And also a winning Bruins coach after that. He was also Happy Gilmore's favorite player...
There are too many good choices -I guess it all depends on the era and what you consider a "Bruin".

 

[Bergyesque]

Esposito was a great offensive player on Cup teams, but as a BRUIN, he can’t hold Bergeron’s jockstrap. I would have Bergeron, Bucyk, Neely, and Chara all ahead of Espo. His comments in the years since he left the B’s don’t sit well with me, particularly if you have to narrow it down to 4 guys to represent the franchise.

Phil Esposito is still bitter about trade from Bruins

The thing I like about the 4 they chose is that they cover most of the franchise history. Milt the 30-50’s, Orr 60-70’s, Bourque 80’s and 90’s, Bergeron post 2000. Maybe that’s what they were going for, maybe not?

If it’s me, I say the Original 6 franchises get an extra head and I add Shore.

I knew he was unhappy about the trade for quite a long time, but didn't know he was still whining about it as of 2013, nearly 40 years later! Wow!
Holding grudges like this ain't good at all.
Was there something else to the story that would explain this?

I'd go Shore, Orr, Bourque and Schmidt.
Still, it bothers me not to have any respresentative from the 2011 Cup team up there, so I'm totally in favor of an extra head!

 

[Gordoff]

Esposito was a great offensive player on Cup teams, but as a BRUIN, he can’t hold Bergeron’s jockstrap. I would have Bergeron, Bucyk, Neely, and Chara all ahead of Espo. His comments in the years since he left the B’s don’t sit well with me, particularly if you have to narrow it down to 4 guys to represent the franchise.

Phil Esposito is still bitter about trade from Bruins

The thing I like about the 4 they chose is that they cover most of the franchise history. Milt the 30-50’s, Orr 60-70’s, Bourque 80’s and 90’s, Bergeron post 2000. Maybe that’s what they were going for, maybe not?

If it’s me, I say the Original 6 franchises get an extra head and I add Shore.

Same here, IMO he disgraced himself by acting petty about it so many years later. I remember his saying how he "felt like a black Cadillac in that Bruins black uniform." I understand that it became his identity but everyone moves on in time and the Bruins did retire #7 later on. I also believe that when he "built" the Tampa Bay Lightening he did it with something to prove. Maybe he thought that one day he would be the B's GM?

 

[Gordoff]

I knew he was unhappy about the trade for quite a long time, but didn't know he was still whining about it as of 2013, nearly 40 years later! Wow!
Holding grudges like this ain't good at all.
Was there something else to the story that would explain this?

I'd go Shore, Orr, Bourque and Schmidt.
Still, it bothers me not to have any respresentative from the 2011 Cup team up there, so I'm totally in favor of an extra head!

Yup, holding a grudge is like holding your breath, (you) only hurt yourself. Similar to ingesting poison and expecting the other person to get sick.

 

[rfournier103]

After Shore and Orr, it gets murky for me.

Too many greats to choose just two more. I’d prefer Stanley Cup champions, but sadly not every Bruins great has won The Prize.

I’m stuck...

 

[EverettMike]

Eddie Shore is the second greatest defenseman of all time, which is why it's amazing he's only the second greatest player in franchise history.

No Shore is indefensible.

 

[TCB]

Orr's a no Brainer the best to ever lace them-up!
Id have to have Espo with Orr they was the face of The Big Bad Bruins and Hockey in the early to mid-seventies, where they won two-cups and were a dominant record setting team.

Milt Schmidt and Eddie Shore would be the other two. Never seen either of them played but the history books and folklores says they were iconic.

In my Time the 70's to the present.

Orr
Espo
Bucyk
Bourque

Honorable Mention:

Bergeron
O'Reilly
Big Z
Neely

 

[Dicky113]

All time
Orr
Shore
Schmidt
Esposito

Apologies to Bucyk and Bourque

1967-present

Orr
Esposito
Bucyk
Bourque

2011- present

Bergeron
Chara
Marchand (that would be a work of art)
Horton

Pastrnak knocks Horton off in a few years

Tim Thomas singlehandedly won the bruins a cup. He’s behind bergy and Z, ahead of Marchand and way ahead of Nathan Horton.

 

[TwineTickler]

I really think people so quickly removing Bergeron are taking him for granted. The guy will go down in history as, if not the greatest 2way center, damn close, and from a strictly defensive standpoint, probably the best ever. Provided he stays healthy he will be at least top 4 in all major statistical categories (could be top 3) in franchise history (games, goals, assists, points). Imagine if he didn't lose a season and a half from lockouts, and a season for his concussion where his numbers would be. His numbers are even more impressive considering the way he has always been deployed, until Cassidy, as defense first, offense second, always playing against top lines and in the ERA of the NHL where scoring is way down from when all the ridiculous numbers were being put up back in the day. He is the perfect player. Every NHL player respects Bergeron. I actually feel like players don't take runs at Bergeron because they are aware of his concussion history and they respect the f*** out of him. That speaks volumes. Goes without saying but played a huge role in bringing this franchise it's first Stanley Cup in 39 years, and delivered countless moments that I, and probably you, will never forget for the rest of our lives.

Now all the others being mentioned are certainly deserving of being up there.... and maybe I'm slightly biased because the Bergeron ERA is when I truly became a diehard fan, but when his career is over, I'll be shocked if you still believe that he does not belong on the Bruins Mount Rushmore. The day Tom Brady retires will be one of the saddest days of my life, probably only trumped by Bergeron. No matter what happened before him, no matter what happens after him. He's on my Bruins Mount Rushmore. Love ya Bergy.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Orr and Bourque are the only locks.

With Schmidt and Shore, you run into a thing where not a lot of people aren't aware of their accomplishments because it was so long ago. I think Schmidt should probably still be a lock because he's "Mr. Bruin".

I'm fine with no Espo, I think Orr takes all of his shine away for something like this.

Neely was great, and his style of play certainly defined the Bruins for a good decade, but with all the injuries and relatively few accomplishments relative to the others, don't see much of an argument. Also had Bourque taking a lot of the shine away similar to Espo.

I think most people here know I'd 100% support Bergeron on there. It's tough to argue a current player vs. legends of the past, but Bergeron is very easily a living Bruins legend, and he seems to still be playing the best hockey of his career. Hell, the guy is #5 on the Bruins all-time games played list already, and behind only Bourque for players that would be in the conversation for something like this.

End of the day, I agree with these choices.

 

[kdog82]

smh at people that think Ray Bourque shouldn't be on the list. All time leader in points by a defenseman while playing a great defensive game. 5 time Norris winner and no doubt the 2nd best dman in the history of the game.

 

[northeastern]

I'd also have to bump Bergeron for O'Reilly and Chara.

Chara and Oreilly are after Bergeron. Beely and espo are hard names to leave off

 

[crimsonace]

Orr
Shore
Schmidt
Bourque

Expand it to the all-time team
Bucyk - Oates - Neely
Dumart - Schmidt - Bauer (the most famous line in Bruins history *has* to be together)
Cashman - Esposito - O'Reilly
Marchand - Bergeron - Middleton

Orr-Bourque
Shore-Hitchman
Chara-Clapper/Park

Brimsek
Cheevers

Coach: Harry Sinden
GM: Milt Schmidt

 

[Don Cherry]

Orr
Shore
Schmidt
Bourque

Expand it to the all-time team
Bucyk - Oates - Neely
Dumart - Schmidt - Bauer (the most famous line in Bruins history *has* to be together)
Cashman - Esposito - O'Reilly
Marchand - Bergeron - Middleton

Orr-Bourque
Shore-Hitchman
Chara-Clapper/Park

Brimsek
Cheevers

Coach: Harry Sinden
GM: Milt Schmidt

Hmmm, no Jean Ratelle yet a stiff like Oates? Doesn't anyone remember Jean Freakin' Ratelle?