Six Impact Bruins Trades That Shaped Boston’s Success

The Boston Bruins have featured numerous impact players that have found their path to wearing the Black and Gold in franchise history.

Several of those players ended up in Boston through a series of important trades that helped shape eras for the Bruins.

From steady forwards to iconic netminders, here are six of the most impactful trades in Bruins history:

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Rick Middleton
Teams from Boston and New York rarely make deals. In 1976, the Bruins and Rangers made one of the few transactions, with Rick Middleton coming north in exchange for fellow right wing Ken Hodge.

With his new team, Middleton tallied over 400 goals and nearly 900 assists in his 12 seasons playing for the Bruins.

Phil Esposito
Prior to the 1967-1968 season, the Bruins made a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks to bring an impact center to Boston.

Phil Esposito instantly boosted Boston to a 37-win season and eventually won a pair of championships (1970, 1972). Esposito dominated as a gifted scorer, leading the league in goals in six straight seasons, including a 76-goal campaign in 1970-1971.

Tuukka Rask
Before Tuukka Rask rose as the starting goaltender in Boston in the early 2010s, Andrew Raycroft got off to a hot start to his career. Raycroft won the Calder Award for a standout rookie performance in the 2003-2004 season.

Just two seasons later, Boston shipped Raycroft to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Rask. The move proved beneficial for the Bruins as the Finland native won three Eastern Conference crowns with Boston and backed up Tim Thomas on the 2011 championship team.

In his career, Rask made two All-Star teams and won the Vezina Trophy after an outstanding 2013-2014 campaign.

Brad Park
Sometimes in sports, trading for a star means trading away a star. In a deal with the New York Rangers, the Bruins acquired defenseman Brad Park in exchange for Esposito in a five-player trade.

Park rewarded Boston for the investment, recording 417 points in 501 career games with the Bruins as a consistent All-Star selection.

Cam Neely
In 1986, the Vancouver Canucks traded for Boston’s Barry Pederson, sending the Bruins back a first-round pick the following year along with Cam Neely. The deal’s impact spread for several years to come, though Neely’s impact in Boston truly stands out in franchise history.

The Boston right wing rose into all-star caliber with the Bruins, scoring just under 400 goals in 10 seasons while boosting his team to a pair of appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Pair Of Picks Lead To Bruins’ Mainstays
Trades with draft picks absolutely count for this exercise. Specifically, Boston has brought in two players who became staples during their time with the Bruins: center David Krejci and Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque.

Most recently, the Bruins traded up with the Washington Capitals to select Krejci with the No. 63 overall pick. The Boston center went on to play over 1,000 games with the Bruins, performing at a high level in the postseason and helping the Bruins win a Stanley Cup title in 2011.

Finally, the Bruins cashed in on a first-round pick that they acquired in a 1977 deal with the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for goaltender Ron Grahame. Bourque became a franchise icon for two decades with Boston, making 19 All-Star teams and winning the Norris Trophy five times.