In celebration of the Boston Bruins’ 100th season, NESN is dedicating an episode of the “Ultimate Bruins Show” to each member of the Bruins All-Centennial team. Tune in Sunday at 4 p.m. ET as we honor Cam Neely.
Toughness, intimidation, finesse. Those are the words to describe the unique blend of the NHL’s first power forward, Cam Neely.
Traded to Boston from the Vancouver Canucks on his 21st birthday in 1986, Neely played hard-nosed hockey for 10 seasons for the Black and Gold, and that’s just one of the reasons he was selected to the Bruins All-Centennial Team comprised of the 20 most legendary players in franchise history. Learn more about Neely’s selection on NESN’s “Ultimate Bruins Show” on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.
Neely is one of six Bruins players to notch 50 goals in a season, joining Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge, Rick Middleton and David Pastrnak. Neely lit the lamp 50 times in his first 44 games of the 1993-94 season. He also reached the elite mark in two other seasons with Boston. Previously, he recorded 55 goals in 1989-90 and 51 in 1990-91.
In 525 games with Boston, Neely amassed 344 goals and 246 assists for 590 points. He sits seventh all-time in Bruins history for goals scored and game-winning goals (56) and his 129 power-play goals place him fifth all-time in franchise history. Only Esposito (26) and Pastrnak (15) have more hat tricks than Neely (14) in Bruins history.
As a player, Neely was part of the Bruins teams that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1988 and 1990. Unfortunately for Neely and Boston fans, the Bruins were left to wonder what could have been when his career was cut short due to a nagging knee injury following multiple hits to the lower body during the 1991 Prince of Wales Conference Finals.
After multiple attempts to come back and only playing in 49 games in the 1993-94 season, Neely earned the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for Qualities of Perseverance and Sportsmanship. He retired in 1996 and his No. 8 was raised to the rafters in 2004.
Original Six franchise, the first American team in the National Hockey League. All those things should make you feel proud to be a Boston Bruin
Boston Bruins president Cam Neely
“There’s an argument that could be said that having your number retired by an Original Six franchise is as probably as high as an honor as you can get,” Neely told NESN. “You’re talking about all these great players that have come through this organization and put that jersey on, and you’re at the time one of eight or nine that had their jersey retired.
“It’s pretty humbling to know that no one is wearing that number again. I was blown away by the phone call. It’s not something you think about. Certainly, you look at those numbers when you skate around up there. Not just the Bruins, but also the Celtics and you know they’re pretty special players. To be one of them is quite an honor.”
One year following his jersey retirement, Neely was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005. He returned to the Bruins organization in 2007 when he was appointed vice president of the franchise. Neely became Bruins president in 2010, one year before Boston defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final to earn its sixth title.
As part of the Bruins organization for more than two decades, Neely understands what it means to don the Spoked-B in the city of Boston.
“First of all, I think it’s pride. You should have pride in putting that jersey on,” Neely said. “One of the things that we really try to do to this day is make our current team understand who wore that jersey before you and what the expectations are.
“How do you handle yourself, both on and off the ice? Giving back to the community is a big part of it. Original Six franchise, the first American team in the National Hockey League. All those things should make you feel proud to be a Boston Bruin and make you understand that when you put that jersey on. You’re not only representing yourself, you’re representing all your teammates and the coaching staff, but you’re also representing the fan base, and you’re representing players that played before you.”
Neely joins Bucyk, Esposito, Patrice Bergeron, Pastrnak, Wayne Cashman, David Krejci, Milt Schmidt, Bill Cowley, Brad Marchand and Terry O’Reilly as the 12 forwards named to the Bruins All-Centennial Team.
