The Habs-Bruins rivalry is widely acknowledged as one of the best in hockey, both historically and modern-day. However, I'm not sure as to how that rivalry began, but playing 7+ Stanley Cup Finals and a grand total of 33 playoff series helped.
Did it begin with the Montreal Riots back in the 1950s? (The follow-up to the Montreal Riots trace back to an incident during a Habs-Bruins game)
Did it have another origin? The only thing that I do know about the origins of that rivalry is that it is deeply rooted in both teams' history.
This is an interesting question. Historically the Habs have started giving the Bruins trouble as far back as the 30s. They upset them in I think 38-39 but the rivalry probably really started in the 50s with several finals appearances. It only grew as Montreal began to dominate some close series that were,however, not really in doubt.
The other thing is the Bruins and Canadiens have stuck to their disparate styles basically forever. The Bruins have always been the maulers and the Habs have always been the flying Frenchmen, or flying American and Finns and Sweedes- with the exception of the late 80s.
One thing I find amusing from old playoff recaps is that the fanbases have always played into the same roles they have today.
For example, you can very easily find recaps from the Montreal Gazette in the 1930s complaining that the Boston Garden crowd are a bunch of sore losers who endanger the players when they throw garbage at the ice. Modern equivalents of that complaint can be found right here on HF.
It's an interesting question. I wonder about the role of Canadian Bruins fans in that context. It's no secret that the Bruins have enjoyed significant support in the Maritimes and also amongst Quebec anglophones.
Do we know when that started and why? I mean, there is the possibility that those fans harboring a dislike for the Habs simply picked the Habs' biggest rivals as a contrarian choice. But couldn't it also be the other way around, that the rivalry was stoked because there was permanent fan friction?
I am not sure about this, but New England radio stations carrying Bruins games probably could be received in a lot of Atlantic Canada incl. Quebec. There's also cultural ties, Boston is very Irish, so are many parts of the Maritimes. I imagine a lot of the fishermen in the Maritimes would have had considerable contact with the New England fishing industry, maybe even seek jobs there. Who knows how that plays a role.
The rivalry took place in the 20's or 30's. I remember reading stories about the smaller Canadiens Johnny Gagnon and Aurele Joliat fighting Eddie Shore. One day, Joliat knocked him out with a stick shot to the head.
But at this time I don't think the rivalry was bigger than with the Leafs or the Americans. The biggest rivalry involving the Habs was with the Maroons for apparent reasons
I imagine a lot of the fishermen in the Maritimes would have had considerable contact with the New England fishing industry, maybe even seek jobs there.
Spontaneously reminded me of:
My father was a fisherman,
my mama was a fisherman's friend,
and I was born in the boredom and the chowder.
So when I reached my prime
I left my home in the Maritimes,
headed down the turnpike for New England, sweet New England.
I don't know the roots of it, but you'd have to think the Bruins would have been ticked off in 1930 when they lost to Montreal in the Cup final. Montreal was still a pretty good team with Howie Morenz so it isn't as if they got upset by a group of slugs but that 1930 Bruins team to this day has the best winning percentage in NHL history (38-5-5). If you want a good comparison I would say the Bruins losing to the Habs in 1971 would have been comparable from an upset standpoint (although the 1971 Habs were no slouches either).
Maybe you can trace it back to then, who knows? I don't think it was a rivalry that had each team hate each other year after year as much as it's one where these teams have more history competing against each other than any other team in NHL history over the long haul. In the 1950s it was the Red Wings and Habs. It wasn't until the end of the 1960s where the Habs and Bruins heated up again. They haven't really cooled down much since then to be honest. I'm pretty sure that the gap they had from 1994 to 2002 when they didn't meet in the playoffs was the longest ever between them.
I don't know the roots of it, but you'd have to think the Bruins would have been ticked off in 1930 when they lost to Montreal in the Cup final. Montreal was still a pretty good team with Howie Morenz so it isn't as if they got upset by a group of slugs but that 1930 Bruins team to this day has the best winning percentage in NHL history (38-5-5). If you want a good comparison I would say the Bruins losing to the Habs in 1971 would have been comparable from an upset standpoint (although the 1971 Habs were no slouches either).
Maybe you can trace it back to then, who knows? I don't think it was a rivalry that had each team hate each other year after year as much as it's one where these teams have more history competing against each other than any other team in NHL history over the long haul. In the 1950s it was the Red Wings and Habs. It wasn't until the end of the 1960s where the Habs and Bruins heated up again. They haven't really cooled down much since then to be honest. I'm pretty sure that the gap they had from 1994 to 2002 when they didn't meet in the playoffs was the longest ever between them.
So that rivalry is built off on-ice bad blood... And, unlike the Leafs rivalry (and later the Nords) the off-ice component didn't contribute as much.
I am not sure about this, but New England radio stations carrying Bruins games probably could be received in a lot of Atlantic Canada incl. Quebec. There's also cultural ties, Boston is very Irish, so are many parts of the Maritimes. I imagine a lot of the fishermen in the Maritimes would have had considerable contact with the New England fishing industry, maybe even seek jobs there. Who knows how that plays a role.
I moved from BC to NS a few years back and was surprised at the number of Bruins fans here. A lot of it has to do with the fact that back in the radio days, Bruins broadcasts were easy to pick up here.
Nova Scotia also has an affinity for Boston dating back to the Halifax Explosion, if not earlier.
Plus, there is a French/English split here. The Acadians follow the Canadiens, for the most part, and the Anglos follow either the Bruins or the Leafs... or to a much lesser extent, the Senators
This is an interesting question. Historically the Habs have started giving the Bruins trouble as far back as the 30s. They upset them in I think 38-39 but the rivalry probably really started in the 50s with several finals appearances. It only grew as Montreal began to dominate some close series that were,however, not really in doubt.
The other thing is the Bruins and Canadiens have stuck to their disparate styles basically forever. The Bruins have always been the maulers and the Habs have always been the flying Frenchmen, or flying American and Finns and Sweedes- with the exception of the late 80s.
Which of course is a bit of irony because the Montreal player with the most career PIMs was from that era.....the Boston born and bred Chris Nilan.
So that rivalry is built off on-ice bad blood... And, unlike the Leafs rivalry (and later the Nords) the off-ice component didn't contribute as much.
There is no doubt on an all-time level the bruins/Habs trumps the Habs/Leafs. If this is 1967 then you probably pick the latter. But other than two blowout and lopsided series in the late 1970s between the Leafs and Habs there hasn't been a game of great significance between these two teams in 45 years.
The Habs and Bruins have consitently had battles even if the Habs have won most of them. The most recent is 2011, and it was a classic
This rivalry had personal consequences in our family growing up. Both grandparents were initially from Nova Scotia but on opposite sides of the rivalry. My grandfather was a passionate Bruins fan, and my grandmother a passionate Habs fan -- this made for some interesting family gatherings when the two teams played each other. My dad, growing up in Boston, did the God honoring thing and raised his kids as Bruins fans.
Might go back to the demise of the Montreal Maroons. Most of the Maroon fans couldn't stand the Habs and some changed their allegiance to the Bruins. Hence the rivalry that was once the Habs/Maroons, became the Habs/Bruins.
Last edited by Psycho Papa Joe: 03-07-2012 at 08:42 AM.
It's an interesting question. I wonder about the role of Canadian Bruins fans in that context. It's no secret that the Bruins have enjoyed significant support in the Maritimes and also amongst Quebec anglophones.
Do we know when that started and why? I mean, there is the possibility that those fans harboring a dislike for the Habs simply picked the Habs' biggest rivals as a contrarian choice. But couldn't it also be the other way around, that the rivalry was stoked because there was permanent fan friction?
I am not sure about this, but New England radio stations carrying Bruins games probably could be received in a lot of Atlantic Canada incl. Quebec. There's also cultural ties, Boston is very Irish, so are many parts of the Maritimes. I imagine a lot of the fishermen in the Maritimes would have had considerable contact with the New England fishing industry, maybe even seek jobs there. Who knows how that plays a role.
You could also say when it came to fans that many french canadians came down for job opportunities. Could've brought their love of the bruins back to the quebec. Its probabley not as big of a number but it could have a little bearing on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ogie Goldthorpe
I moved from BC to NS a few years back and was surprised at the number of Bruins fans here. A lot of it has to do with the fact that back in the radio days, Bruins broadcasts were easy to pick up here.
Nova Scotia also has an affinity for Boston dating back to the Halifax Explosion, if not earlier.
Plus, there is a French/English split here. The Acadians follow the Canadiens, for the most part, and the Anglos follow either the Bruins or the Leafs... or to a much lesser extent, the Senators
Its funny when the bruins and habs play up here i've seen quite a few french canadian bruins fans. Only speaking in french and usually talking to many habs fans because of the french language. When I was up in montreal for a game a good portion of the bruins fans I saw were either from new england or french canadian.
Quebec anglophones? I think most Bruins fans in Quebec are Nordiques fans who hate the Canadiens.
It was my impression from reading forum discussions and articles that the West Island has a good number of Bruins fans and that this might relate to the language factor since the Montreal anglo community was teamless after the Maroons' demise.
It's an interesting question. I wonder about the role of Canadian Bruins fans in that context. It's no secret that the Bruins have enjoyed significant support in the Maritimes and also amongst Quebec anglophones.
Do we know when that started and why? I mean, there is the possibility that those fans harboring a dislike for the Habs simply picked the Habs' biggest rivals as a contrarian choice. But couldn't it also be the other way around, that the rivalry was stoked because there was permanent fan friction?
I am not sure about this, but New England radio stations carrying Bruins games probably could be received in a lot of Atlantic Canada incl. Quebec. There's also cultural ties, Boston is very Irish, so are many parts of the Maritimes. I imagine a lot of the fishermen in the Maritimes would have had considerable contact with the New England fishing industry, maybe even seek jobs there. Who knows how that plays a role.
Quebec anglophones? Weren't there Quebec anglophones that reached for the Leafs when the Maroons ceased playing? I saw some Leafs gear in the West Island.
But, yes, there were Quebec anglophones (and, since the mid-90s, ex-Nords fans) who became Bruins fans also.
- with the exception of the late 80s.
