The Black and Gold Bruins in red, white, and blue
An unusual thing happened whenever the Bruins were screened at airports by customs inspectors these last three years: More of their passports said “United States of America’’ than “Canada.’’
It is a first in the franchise’s 94-year history, as the Bruins have become the face of an evolving National Hockey League. While the trend toward homegrown talent and European stars is accelerating in a league long dominated by Canadians, no other NHL team carried more Americans (19) this season than the Bruins, which also had fewer Canadians (7) than any prior Bruins team.
Should the new-age Bruins win the Stanley Cup, they would become the first NHL team to do so with so many more Americans than Canadians.
O, Canada. No offense intended, said Bruins president Cam Neely, a son of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He insists he never set out to turn Boston’s Black and Gold red, white, and blue.
“It’s just by coincidence, to be honest,’’ said Neely, a Hall of Fame former Bruins winger. “We try to identify the best players, regardless of where they’re from.’’
Though Neely has presided over the Americanization of a franchise that stands on the shoulders of such Canadian greats as Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr, and Patrice Bergeron, he insists that the transformation is not based on a home-country bias.
“When our amateur scouts are out around the globe, they compile lists,’’ Neely said. “When we go over those lists, we don’t really look at where the players are from. We look at what kind of hockey players they are.’’
They ask questions.
“Is he a good teammate?’’ Neely said. “Is he going to go to war with you, so to speak? Can he help us?’’
The answers, for American talent in recent years, have time and again been “yes.’’
The Bruins were one of 10 NHL teams with more Americans than Canadians this season; only Pittsburgh had as many — 19 US-born players, to 12 Canadians.
The Penguins were the first to win a Stanley Cup with more Americans than Canadians, in 2016.
An unusual thing happened whenever the Bruins were screened at airports by customs inspectors these last three years: More of their passports said “United States of America’’ than “Canada.’’
It is a first in the franchise’s 94-year history, as the Bruins have become the face of an evolving National Hockey League. While the trend toward homegrown talent and European stars is accelerating in a league long dominated by Canadians, no other NHL team carried more Americans (19) this season than the Bruins, which also had fewer Canadians (7) than any prior Bruins team.
Should the new-age Bruins win the Stanley Cup, they would become the first NHL team to do so with so many more Americans than Canadians.
O, Canada. No offense intended, said Bruins president Cam Neely, a son of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He insists he never set out to turn Boston’s Black and Gold red, white, and blue.
“It’s just by coincidence, to be honest,’’ said Neely, a Hall of Fame former Bruins winger. “We try to identify the best players, regardless of where they’re from.’’
Though Neely has presided over the Americanization of a franchise that stands on the shoulders of such Canadian greats as Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr, and Patrice Bergeron, he insists that the transformation is not based on a home-country bias.
“When our amateur scouts are out around the globe, they compile lists,’’ Neely said. “When we go over those lists, we don’t really look at where the players are from. We look at what kind of hockey players they are.’’
They ask questions.
“Is he a good teammate?’’ Neely said. “Is he going to go to war with you, so to speak? Can he help us?’’
The answers, for American talent in recent years, have time and again been “yes.’’
The Bruins were one of 10 NHL teams with more Americans than Canadians this season; only Pittsburgh had as many — 19 US-born players, to 12 Canadians.
The Penguins were the first to win a Stanley Cup with more Americans than Canadians, in 2016.
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