On this day in 1967, the Bruins and Blackhawks made one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history
55 years ago today, the Boston Bruins made a trade that would change their franchise history forever.
Weston Adams set out to rebuild the Bruins' team in 1964, which started with the signing of young defenseman, Bobby Orr. Orr entered the NHL in 1966 and was that season's winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Despite Orr's stellar rookie season, the Bruins would miss the playoffs.
The Trade that started it all...
On May 15th, 1967, the Boston Bruins were on the good side of one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history. The Chicago Blackhawks traded Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield to Boston for Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris. A trade that would impact the Bruins' franchise for many years to come, and still, to this day. They would go on to make the playoffs for the first of 29 straight seasons (an all-time record).
Esposito centred a line with Hodge and Wayne Cashman and became the league's top goal-scorer and the first NHL player to break the 100-point mark. He would end up setting many goal and point-scoring records and remains one of just four players to win the Art Ross Trophy four consecutive seasons (the other three are Jaromir Jagr, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe).
With star forwards Johnny Bucyk, John McKenzie, Derek Sanderson, and Hodge, steady defenders like Dallas Smith and Bobby Orr, and goaltender Gerry Cheevers, the "Big Bad Bruins" became one of the league's top teams from the late 1960s into the 1980s.
This team would end up winning the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972 and Division Championships in 1970�71, 1971�72, 1973�74, 1975�76.
