The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL)^[1] and are one of the "Original Six" teams of the league.^[2] Founded in 1924, they are the league's third-oldest team and the oldest team based in the United States, with 2023–24 season marking the 100th year of operation for the franchise. As of the end of the 2023–24 season, the Bruins have won 3,404 regular season games, accumulated 30 division championships and six conference championships, led the league in points fifteen times, appeared in the playoffs 77 times, and won six Stanley Cup titles.^[3]

The Bruins started play in 1924, and won their first Stanley Cup championship in 1929, winning two games against the New York Rangers in the Finals. Over the next 12 seasons, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in 1930 and winning their second and third championship titles in 1939 and 1941. The Bruins would fare decently in terms of playoff appearance until they reached an eight-year playoff drought from 1960 to 1967. They would make up for the drought by winning the Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972. The Bruins would miss the playoffs in 1997, finishing with the worst record of the season with 61 points, ending a 29-year playoff appearance streak, the longest in NHL history. Throughout the streak, the Bruins qualified for the Stanley Cup Finals five times apart from their 1970 and 1972 wins—1974, 1977, 1978, 1988, and 1990. The 1989–90 season was also the season they won their first Presidents' Trophy title, accumulating 101 points. Throughout the next nine seasons, the Bruins would face a rough patch, qualifying for the playoffs five times and missing the playoffs four times.

The Bruins would start another playoff streak in 2008. In 2011, the Bruins would defeat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win their sixth Stanley Cup. The Bruins then reached the Finals in 2013, but fell to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Bruins won their second Presidents' Trophy the next season, achieving 117 points, but they would lose in the second round of the playoffs to the Canadiens. The next season, the Bruins' playoff streak would end at seven seasons after failing to qualify by two points. They would miss the playoffs for a second season in 2016, but qualify in 2017. In 2019, the Bruins made it to the Finals, but came short, losing to the St. Louis Blues in seven games. The next season, 2019–20, was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Bruins would come out on top and win their third Presidents' Trophy, managing 100 points through only 70 games. They would lose in the second round of the playoffs to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 2022–23 season, would see the Bruins make history, achieving 65 wins and 135 points for a fourth Presidents' Trophy title. However, they would get upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Florida Panthers after blowing a 3–1 series lead. In the 2024 playoffs, they would lose to the Panthers again, but in the second round. As of the culmination of the 2023–24 season, the Bruins are maintaining an eight-year playoff streak.

• ^a From the 1924–25 season through the 1925–26 season, the NHL had no divisions.^[85]
• ^b From the 1926–27 season through the 1937–38 season, Boston played in the American Division.^[5]
• ^c From the 1938–39 season through the 1966–67 season, the NHL had no divisions.^[85]
• ^d Prior to the 1967–68 season, the NHL split into East and West Divisions because of the addition of six expansion teams.^[85]
• ^e The NHL realigned prior to the 1974–75 season. The Bruins were placed in the Prince of Wales Conference's Adams Division.^[86]
• ^f The NHL realigned into Eastern and Western conferences prior to the 1993–94 season. Boston was placed in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.^[87]
• ^g The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 1994–95 NHL lockout.^[88]
• ^h Beginning with the 1999–2000 season, teams received one point for losing a regular season game in overtime.^[89]
• ⁱ The season was cancelled because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout.^[90]
• ^j Prior to the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted a penalty shootout for regular season games that remained tied after a five-minute overtime period, which prevented ties.^[91]
• ^k The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout.^[92]
• ^l The NHL realigned prior to the 2013–14 season. The Bruins were placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.^[93]
• ^m The regular season was suspended on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and officially concluded on May 26, 2020, with the announcement of a 24-team expanded playoff to be held in the summer.^[94][95] The Bruins played 70 of their scheduled 82 games, and having secured the highest point percentage in the eastern conference, were one of the four teams to play in a three-game round-robin to determine seeding for the first round.
• ⁿ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 NHL season was shortened to 56 games.^[96]