Ranking Five Best Sweaters In Boston Bruins History

The spoked “B” is as iconic a logo as any in the National Hockey League, first being introduced by the Boston Bruins to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary. The Black and Gold, as Bruins fans are well aware, now are celebrating their centennial season in 2023-24, making the spoked “B” some 75 years old.

During that time, the spoked “B” has been front and center on a number of different uniform combinations.

We’ve highlighted five of the best uniform combinations in Bruins history. You can check out all of Boston’s sweaters throughout the years here.

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1969-74 home blacks
You need to salute the greats. And not only was this the sweater Bobby Orr wore when he flew through the air after his Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 1970 — the most popular image in Bruins history — but it also laid the foundation for all black uniforms to follow. The gold socks were sharp and the laces were slick, too. We could have done without the white stripe down the side of the pants, though.

1981-1995
This was a complementary blend between new and old for Boston. It also was the first uniform in four-plus decades to feature all black pants, no stripe of any kind down the side. It made a noticeable difference. Bruins fans will recall Ray Bourque dominating on the blue line while wearing this sweater.

2022-23 Reverse Retro
We understand many fans of the Original Six franchise will like the traditional sweaters of the Black and Gold. But there’s something to be said about the ‘Pooh Bear.’ The ‘Pooh Bear’ jerseys were one of the league’s first alternates and returned in 2022-23 as a reverse retro. It’s a different look than the traditional sweaters, but the white popped. And we’re of the opinion that ‘Pooh Bear’ surpasses ‘Meth Bear.’

2007-16 home blacks
The Bruins redesigned to these sweaters when the league switched to Reebok Edge uniforms. A new alternate logo was added to the shoulder on both their home and away uniforms while the subtle change to the spoked “B” made it pop even more. The gold socks were dealt a slight tweak, too, which added welcomed simplicity. Think Patrice Bergeron’s game-winning goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals.

2021 Reverse Retro
The Bruins first wore this gold-on-gold combination when they took the ice at Lake Tahoe for one of the most scenic games in NHL history. It was a nice hat tip to the past when gold was a primary color in the 1950s and 60s. The old-school spoked “B” felt like it looked better on the gold uniform, and the black pants and simple stripe on the shin and elbow let the gold be the star of the show.