Editing Boston Bruins (section)

===Early years (1924–1942)===
In 1924, the NHL made the decision to expand to the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legends of Hockey |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=b196001&type=Builder&page=bio&list=ByName#photo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013204102/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=b196001&type=Builder&page=bio&list=ByName#photo |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref> The previous year in 1923, sports promoter [[Thomas Duggan]] received options on three NHL franchises for the United States, and sold one to [[Boston]] grocery magnate [[Charles Adams (ice hockey)|Charles Adams]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 19, 1924 |title=Six-Club League Favored |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aMAtAAAAIBAJ&dq=Thomas+Duggan+NHL+Boston&pg=PA16&article_id=6881,2430744 |access-date=May 21, 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |pages=16}}</ref> The team was one of the NHL's first expansion teams, and the first NHL team to be based in the United States. Adams' first act as owner was to hire [[Art Ross]], a former star player and innovator, as general manager.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=March 19, 1960 |title=Publicist explains origins of NHL team nick-names |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bRUAAAAIBAJ&dq=Charles+Adams+hires+art+ross&pg=PA19&article_id=4873,3688528 |access-date=May 21, 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |pages=19}}</ref>

Ross came up with "Bruins" for a team nickname, a name for [[brown bear]]s used in classic folk tales. The team's nickname also went along with the team's original uniform colors of brown and yellow, which came from Adams' grocery chain, [[Finast|First National Stores]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Marrazza|first1=Dan|title=How NHL Teams Got Their Names|url=https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/nhl-teams-getting-their-names/c-283742854|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=January 18, 2018|date=June 14, 2016|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120119/https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/nhl-teams-getting-their-names/c-283742854|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Eddie shore 1939.JPG|thumb|left|upright|[[Eddie Shore]] as a member of the Boston Bruins.]]
On December 1, 1924, the Bruins won the first ever NHL game played in the United States, hosting the [[Montreal Maroons]] at [[Boston Arena]], with [[Smokey Harris]] scoring the first-ever Bruins goal,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bruinslegends.blogspot.com/2011/06/smokey-harris.html |title=Smokey Harris |last=Pelletier |first=Joseph |date=June 2011 |website=bruinslegends.blogspot.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125050601/http://bruinslegends.blogspot.com/2011/06/smokey-harris.html |archive-date=November 25, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> spurring the Bruins to a 2–1 win.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fischler |first=Stan |date=November 30, 2022 |title=Bruins won first NHL game played in United States in 1924 |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-bruins-won-first-nhl-game-played-in-united-states-in-1924/c-338181072?tid=335154694 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227070806/https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-bruins-won-first-nhl-game-played-in-united-states-in-1924/c-338181072?tid=335154694 |archive-date=December 27, 2022 |access-date=December 27, 2022 |website=NHL.com}}</ref> This would be one of the few high points of the season, as the Bruins lost their next 11 games and only managed a 6–24–0 record, finishing in last place in its first season.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Stainkamp |first=Mike |date=August 4, 2010 |title=A Brief History: Boston Bruins |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/429706-a-brief-history-boston-bruins |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Bleacher Report}}</ref> The Bruins played three more seasons at the Arena, after which they became the main tenant of [[Boston Garden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=395417|title=NHL hockey came to the U.S. on Dec. 1, 1924|publisher=National Hockey League|access-date=November 2, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107035136/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=395417|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The Bruins improved in [[1925–26 NHL season|their second season]] to a winning 17–15–4 record, which originally held the record for the biggest single-season improvement in NHL history, and is now third.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Klein |first1=Jeff Z. |title=The Klein & Reif Hockey Compendium |last2=Reif |first2=Karl-Eric |date=1987 |publisher=McClelland & Stewart |isbn=978-0-7710-4529-5 |location=Toronto |page=63}}</ref> However, they missed out on the third and final playoff berth by one point to the expansion [[Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)|Pittsburgh Pirates]].<ref>Standings: {{cite book |author=NHL Public Relations Department |title=The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2009 |publisher=National Hockey League |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-894801-14-0 |editor=Dave McCarthy |page=146 |display-editors=et al}}</ref>

In [[1926–27 NHL season|their third season]], Ross took advantage of the collapse of the [[Western Canada Hockey League|Western Hockey League]] (WHL) to purchase several western stars, including the team's first great star, [[Defenceman|defenseman]] [[Eddie Shore]]. With the Bruins, he would go on to become one of the greatest players in NHL history.<ref>{{cite book |last=Coleman |first=Charles L. |title=Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol I. |date=1964 |publisher=National Hockey League |location=Sherbrooke, PQ |page=709}}</ref> Boston qualified for the then-expanded playoffs by a comfortable margin. In their first-ever playoff run, the Bruins reached the [[Stanley Cup Finals]] where they lost to the [[Ottawa Senators (original)|Ottawa Senators]] in the first Stanley Cup Finals between exclusively NHL teams.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Johnson |first1=Richard |title=The Bruins in Black and White, 1924–1966 |last2=Codagnone |first2=Brian |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738534855 |publication-date=December 9, 2003 |pages=13}}</ref> The [[1927 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup]]-winning game for the Senators would see Bruins' [[Billy Coutu]] attack the referee, earning him a ban from the NHL for life, the only in league history.<ref>{{cite book |last=Vautour |first=Kevin |title=The Bruins Book |date=1997 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=978-1-55022-334-7 |location=Toronto |page=42}}</ref>

[[File:Tiny Thompson.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Tiny Thompson]] was the goaltender for the Bruins from [[1928–29 NHL season|1928]] to [[1937–38 NHL season|1938]]. He helped the team win its first [[Stanley Cup]] in [[1929 Stanley Cup Finals|1929]].]]
The [[1928–29 NHL season|1928–29 season]] was the first played at Boston Garden. In 1929, the Bruins defeated the [[New York Rangers]] to win their first [[Stanley Cup]] in two games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McClure |first=Steve |date=March 29, 2024 |title=Bruins' First Stanley Cup Clincher—March 29, 1929 |url=https://blackngoldhockey.com/2024/03/bruins-first-stanley-cup-clincher-march-29-1929/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Black N' Gold Hockey}}</ref> Standout players on the first championship team included Shore, [[Harry Oliver (ice hockey)|Harry Oliver]], [[Dit Clapper]], [[Dutch Gainor]] and [[goaltender]] [[Tiny Thompson]].

The season after that, [[1929–30 NHL season|1929–30]], the Bruins posted the best-ever regular season [[winning percentage]] in the NHL (.875, a record which still stands) because of a 38–5–1 record,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Molinari |first=Dave |date=April 6, 1973 |title=Illness Foiled Barasso |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6rFRAAAAIBAJ&dq=Boston+Bruins+.875+win+percentage&pg=PA34&article_id=6868,3172609 |access-date=May 10, 2024 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref> and shattered numerous scoring records, but lost to the [[Montreal Canadiens]] in the [[1930 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]].

The 1930s Bruins teams included Shore, Thompson, Clapper, [[Babe Siebert]] and [[Cooney Weiland]]. The team led the league five times in the decade.<ref name=":1" /> In [[1938–39 NHL season|1939]], the team captured its second Stanley Cup. That year, Thompson was traded for [[rookie]] goaltender [[Frank Brimsek]]. Brimsek had an award-winning season, capturing the [[Vezina Trophy|Vezina]] and [[Calder Memorial Trophy|Calder Trophies]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 30, 1939 |title=Brimsek No. 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wCI_AAAAIBAJ&dq=Brimsek+vezina+and+Calder+trophies&pg=PA30&article_id=5375,6773346 |access-date=May 11, 2024 |work=The Windsor Daily Star}}</ref> becoming the first rookie named to the NHL first All-Star team, and earning the nickname "Mr. Zero".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frank Brimsek |url=http://history.vintagemnhockey.com/page/show/807236-frank-mr-zero-brimsek- |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=Vintage Minnesota Hockey – History}}</ref> The team skating in front of Brimsek included [[Bill Cowley]], Shore, Clapper and "Sudden Death" [[Mel Hill]] (who scored three [[Overtime (ice hockey)|overtime]] goals in one playoff series), together with the "[[Kraut line]]" of [[Centre (ice hockey)|center]] [[Milt Schmidt]], [[Winger (ice hockey)|right winger]] [[Bobby Bauer]] and left winger [[Woody Dumart]].

In the [[1939–40 NHL season|1939–40 season]], Shore was traded to the struggling [[New York Americans]] for his final NHL season. In 1941, the Bruins won their [[1941 Stanley Cup Finals|third Stanley Cup]] after losing only eight games and finishing first in the regular season.<ref name=":1" /> It was their last Stanley Cup for 29 years. [[World War II]] affected the Bruins more than most teams; Brimsek and the "Krauts" all enlisted in the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] following the 1941 Cup win, and lost the most productive years of their careers at war.<ref name="origins">{{cite news |last=Mills |first=Rych |date=August 11, 2017 |title=Flash from the Past / It started here: the Kraut Line's origins |url=https://www.therecord.com/living-story/7497550-flash-from-the-past-it-started-here-the-kraut-line-s-origins/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |work=The Record}}</ref> Cowley, assisted by veteran player Clapper and [[Busher Jackson]], became the team's remaining star.