The 1924–25

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

season was the team's first in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL). Along with the

Montreal Maroons The Montreal Maroons (officially the Montreal Professional Hockey Club) were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They played in the NHL from 1924–25 NHL season, 1924 to 1937–38 NHL season, 1938, winning the Sta ...

, the Bruins were the first expansion franchise in the NHL and the league's first American-based club. The Bruins finished sixth and last in the league standings and did not qualify for the playoffs.

Offseason

In 1924, Charles Adams, the magnate who owned the Connor Grocery stores changed (which would merge with two other companies in 1925 to from the First National grocery chain), obtained an NHL expansion franchise for Boston. The approval was finalized on October 13, 1924, for , making the Bruins the first NHL team to be based in the United States. Adams' first act was to hire

Art Ross Arthur Howey Ross (January 13, 1885 – August 5, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and corporate officer, executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first t ...

, a former star player and innovator, as general manager and coach. Ross nicknamed the team "Bruins", which also went along with the team's original uniform colors of brown and yellow, which came from Adams' grocery chain. Most of the Bruins' players for its inaugural season were signed from the

Pacific Coast Hockey Association The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was a professional ice hockey league in Western Canada and the Western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The PCHA was cons ...

and the

Western Canada Hockey League The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), founded in 1921–22 WCHL season, 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925 and disbanded in 1926. ...

. The first player to sign for the Bruins was defenseman Herb Mitchell, who signed for the Bruins on November 2, 1924. The Bruins first saw action in an exhibition game against the

Saskatoon Sheiks The Saskatoon Sheiks were a professional ice hockey team in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) and Prairie Hockey League (PrHL) from 1921 to 1928. The team played their home games at the Crescent Arena in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Hist ...

of the

on November 29, which was then

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

; it was the first professional match held in

Boston Arena Matthews Arena (formerly Boston Arena) is a historic multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts currently owned by Northeastern University. It is the world's oldest multi-purpose athletic building still in use, as well as the oldest arena in u ...

. Boston lost the game 2–1. Subsequently, leaks in the Arena's cooling system forced the team to practice in Montreal in the runup to the season opener.

Regular season

Despite problems with the ice plant that threatened the home opener the Bruins started the season out auspiciously, defeating their fellow expansion Maroons squad in a nearly empty Arena 2–1. The first goal in franchise history was scored by Smokey Harris, while

Carson Cooper Carson Eric "Shovel Shot" Cooper (July 17, 1897 – July 4, 1955) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 8 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Cougars and Detroit Falcons between 1924 a ...

, who assisted on Harris' goal, scored the game winner. It was the first NHL game played in the United States. The game was broadcast by radio station WBZ, with play-by-play by the ''

Boston Traveler The ''Boston Evening Traveller'' (1845–1967) was a newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a daily newspaper, with weekly and semi-weekly editions under a variety of ''Traveller'' titles. It was absorbed by the '' Boston Herald'' ...

s Frank Ryan. Since the crowd failed to meet expectations, the Bruins dropped prices to for a reserved seat and for standing room. However, Boston lost its next eleven games, as well as having a seven-game losing streak — which included their second home game on December 8, initiating the Bruins' most intense rivalry over time — and finished in the basement. The Bruins had signed veteran West Coast star goaltender

Hec Fowler Norman Boswell "Hec" Fowler (October 14, 1892 – July 30, 1987) was a two-sport athlete from Canada. He was a professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and National Hockey League between 1916 and 1925. ...

as their netminder, but behind a weak defense, Fowler and backup

Howie Lockhart Howard Bond Lockhart (April 22, 1896 - August 2, 1956) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played six seasons in the National Hockey Association and the National Hockey League for the Northern Fusiliers, Toronto St. Pats, Quebec Bulldogs, ...

played very poorly and the Bruins were repeatedly shelled, allowing ten goals in a game twice, one of which saw Toronto player

Babe Dye Cecil Henry "Babe" Dye (May 13, 1898 — January 3, 1962) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto St. Patricks/ Maple Leafs, Hamilton Tigers, Chicago Black Hawks, ...

score five goals on December 22. The signing of senior league star netminder Doc Stewart and the purchase of

Lionel Hitchman Frederick Lionel Hitchman (November 3, 1901 – January 12, 1969) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins. Forming one of the greatest def ...

helped somewhat, but the team was riddled with injuries, and only Jimmy Herbert and

(who spent much of the season hurt) showed any offensive flair. The team's winning percentage of .200 was the second worst in league history to that date, and remains the tenth worst in NHL history. The Bruins' debut season home games were played in the only "debut" rink of any of the

Original Six The Original Six () are the teams that composed the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1942 and 1967. The six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. ...

NHL teams that has survived into the 21st century —

, the world's oldest indoor multi-sports facility that is still used for ice hockey at any level of competition.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

, - , 1 , , December 1 , , Maroons , , 1–2 , , Boston , , 1–0–0 , , 2 , , , - , 2 , , December 3 , , Boston , , 3–5 , , Toronto , , 1–1–0 , , 2 , , , - , 3 , , December 8 , , Canadiens , , 4–3 , , Boston , , 1–2–0 , , 2 , , , - , 4 , , December 10 , , Boston , , 1–7 , , Hamilton , , 1–3–0 , , 2 , , , - , 5 , , December 15 , , Ottawa , , 10–2 , , Boston , , 1–4–0 , , 2 , , , - , 6 , , December 17 , , Boston , , 2–6 , , Maroons , , 1–5–0 , , 2 , , , - , 7 , , December 22 , , Toronto , , 10–1 , , Boston , , 1–6–0 , , 2 , , , - , 8 , , December 25 , , Boston , , 0–5 , , Canadiens , , 1–7–0 , , 2 , , , - , 9 , , December 29 , , Boston , , 1–2 , , Hamilton , , 1–8–0 , , 2 , , , - , - , 10 , , January 1 , , Ottawa , , 5–2 , , Boston , , 1–9–0 , , 2 , , , - , 11 , , January 3 , , Maroons , , 4–3 , , Boston , , 1–10–0 , , 2 , , , - , 12 , , January 5 , , Boston , , 2–3 , , Toronto , , 1–11–0 , , 2 , , , - , 13 , , January 10 , , Canadiens , , 2–3 , , Boston , , 2–11–0 , , 4 (OT) , , , - , 14 , , January 12 , , Boston , , 2–4 , , Hamilton , , 2–12–0 , , 4 , , , - , 15 , , January 17 , , Ottawa , , 3–2 , , Boston , , 2–13–0 , , 4 , , , - , 16 , , January 20 , , Boston , , 0–2 , , Maroons , , 2–14–0 , , 4 , , , - , 17 , , January 24 , , Toronto , , 4–3 , , Boston , , 2–15–0 , , 4 , , , - , 18 , , January 27 , , Boston , , 0–4 , , Canadiens , , 2–16–0 , , 4 , , , - , 19 , , January 31 , , Hamilton , , 8–3 , , Boston , , 2–17–0 , , 4 , , , - , - , 20 , , February 3 , , Boston , , 1–3 , , Ottawa , , 2–18–0 , , 4 , , , - , 21 , , February 7 , , Maroons , , 0–1 , , Boston , , 3–18–0 , , 6 , , , - , 22 , , February 10 , , Boston , , 1–5 , , Toronto , , 3–19–0 , , 6 , , , - , 23 , , February 14 , , Canadiens , , 5–1 , , Boston , , 3–20–0 , , 6 , , , - , 24 , , February 17 , , Boston , , 1–2 , , Hamilton , , 3–21–0 , , 6 , , , - , 25 , , February 21 , , Ottawa , , 3–0 , , Boston , , 3–22–0 , , 6 , , , - , 26 , , February 24 , , Boston , , 2–1 , , Maroons , , 4–22–0 , , 8 , , , - , 27 , , February 28 , , Toronto , , 5–1 , , Boston , , 4–23–0 , , 8 , , , - , - , 28 , , March 3 , , Canadiens , , 2–3 , , Boston , , 5–23–0 , , 10 , , , - , 29 , , March 7 , , Boston , , 2–0 , , Hamilton , , 6–23–0 , , 12 , , , - , 30 , , March 9 , , Ottawa , , 4–1 , , Boston , , 6–24–0 , , 12 , , , - , - , ''Legend'':

Player statistics

Leading scorers

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''

Goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average''

Transactions

* November 2, 1924 – Acquired Alf Skinner from

Vancouver Maroons The Vancouver Millionaires (later known as the Vancouver Maroons) were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926. Based in Vancouver, British ...

(PCHA) for cash * November 2, 1924 – Acquired Bobby Rowe from

Seattle Metropolitans The Seattle Metropolitans were a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle, playing in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) from 1915 to 1924. During their nine seasons, the Metropolitans were the PCHA's most successful franchise, a ...

(PCHA) for cash * December 14, 1924 – Acquired Bill "Red" Stuart from

Toronto St. Patricks The Toronto St. Patricks (colloquially known as the St. Pats) were a professional ice hockey team which began playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1919. The Toronto NHL franchise (league membership) had previously been held by the Aren ...

for cash * December 17, 1924 – Released Bobby Rowe * December 19, 1924 – Acquired George Carroll from

for the rights to Ernie Parkes * December 21, 1924 – Traded Smokey Harris to Vancouver Maroons (WCHL) for cash * January 3, 1925 – Traded Alf Skinner to Montreal Maroons for Bernie Morris and Bob Benson * January 10, 1925 – Acquired Lionel Hitchman from the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...

for cash * January 18, 1925 – Traded Stan Jackson to Ottawa Senators for cash

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:1924-25 Boston Bruins Season Boston Bruins seasons

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

1920s in Boston