A new era of Boston Bruins hockey is fast approaching. And when it does finally arrive with the start of training camp next week, the book will close on perhaps the greatest chapter in the history of the franchise.

For nearly two decades, the Bruins were the standard for consistency and excellence in the NHL, as no other team won more games or made more playoff appearances than them in that span.

Of course, that run of success was built on the backs of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand, players who received plenty of recognition during their careers in Boston, and will continue to for years to come.

But there were plenty of other players who helped the Bruins in that time, including some who don’t get nearly enough credit for their contributions to the club.

Tuukka Rask

If there is any one player who absolutely has to be on this list, it’s Tuukka Rask.

The goalie spent the entirety of his 15-year NHL career with the Bruins. In that time, he massed a record of 308-165-66 with a .921 save percentage and a 2.28-goals against average, while winning the Vezina Trophy in 2013 and being nominated for it four other times.

Rask leads the franchise in games played and wins, and is in the top-five in other categories such as goals-against average, save-percentage and shutouts.

Show me a better save than this one by Tuukka Rask for @NHLBruins. I’ll wait. pic.twitter.com/iAKmcRhoLb

— Dale Arnold (@DaleEArnold) November 22, 2019

He also started 104 playoff games, more than any other goalie in Bruins history. But that’s where Rask’s reputation takes a bit of a hit.

While Rask was a part of the 2011 team that won the Stanley Cup, it was Tim Thomas who led them there. Rask did bring the Bruins back to two more Cup Final appearances in 2013 and 2019, but could not piece together a legacy defining performance like Thomas did before him.

Jake DeBrusk

Whenever Bruins fans hear Jake DeBrusk’s name, they instantly think back to the infamous 2015 NHL Draft, where he was one of three picks general manager Don Sweeney made in the first round.

A decade later, that draft still haunts the Bruins as neither DeBrusk nor either of the other two first round selections, Zach Senyshyn and Jakub Zboril, lived up to their potential. None of them are still with the organization.

But for all intent and purposes, DeBrusk was a solid top-six contributor during his six years with the Bruins. He registered 314 points and 166 goals across 547 games and recorded three separate 25-plus goal seasons.

CHECK OUT: Jake DeBrusk Returns To Face Bruins Feeling At Home With Canucks

And sure, DeBrusk was streaky. There would be weeks when he’d seemingly disappear on the ice and be a non-factor in games. He also famously requested a trade out of Boston and was one of the main players who railed against former head coach Bruce Cassidy, ultimately leading to the organization firing him in abrupt fashion following the 2021-22 season.

However, it was only once DeBrusk did eventually leave the Bruins that it showed just how much he meant to them.

But none of that really mattered. DeBrusk was first and foremost a part of that 2015 draft class, and there was nothing he could do to get past that.

David Krejci

Someday, David Krejci will have his No. 46 retired to the TD Garden rafters.

That’s not an outrageous statement among Bruins fans as much as it is nationally. But for those who didn’t get to see Krejci’s talent firsthand, it’s easy to miss the impact he had on the Bruins’ lineup and culture. Playing behind the Hall of Fame bound Patrice Bergeron will have that effect.

A second-round pick in 2004, he made his NHL debut in 2007 and spent 16 seasons in black and gold, appearing in over a thousand games. Krejci was one of the best playmakers of his era, with 555 of his 786 career points being assists.

As part of the 2011 Stanley Cup team, Krejci centered the first line and was tied for the team lead in scoring that season with 62 points.

Charlie McAvoy slips a pass to David Krejci and my goodness what a goal #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/lb4Z1ZoLS9

— Bruins Diehards (@BruinsDiehards) April 28, 2021

Above all else, though, the most impressive aspect of Krejci’s resume came in 2022-23, when he recorded 56 points in 70 games at the age of 36 after spending the previous season on hiatus.

Nevertheless, the ever quiet Krejci rarely got the same credit as Bergeron or Chara or even Marchand. He wasn’t the vocal leader in the room or the flashiest player on the ice.

He was silent, steady, and stable, and that’s all the Bruins ever needed him to be.

Marco Sturm

Marco Sturm is the new head coach of the Boston Bruins.

But many forget that 20 years ago, he was the main piece the Bruins received back from the San Jose Sharks when they traded away Joe Thornton.

At the time, it felt the Bruins had essentially given up any and all hopes they had of winning a championship. Little did anyone know it was the very move that put them on the path back to the Stanley Cup, and that Sturm would be a key reason why.

READ MORE: Back With The Bruins, New Head Coach Marco Sturm Sets Vision For Team’s Future

Although Sturm was no longer part of the team in 2011, he, along with Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Marc Savard, first helped establish the culture and attitude the Bruins carried throughout their two-decade long run of success.

And while Sturm wasn’t around once the Bruins did finally lift Lord Stanley, he still had plenty of memorable moments, including his game-winning goal in overtime during the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.

#NHLBruins Marco Sturm
2010 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park https://t.co/wDEA3T3pQC pic.twitter.com/rPnE5ftquT

— Shukri Wrights (@ShukriWrights) December 31, 2024

Here’s hoping Sturm can have the same impact on the Bruins as head coach as he did once before.

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