2010–11 Boston Bruins season



The 2010–11 Boston Bruins season was the 87th season of play for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise. The Bruins finished 1st in the Northeast Division and defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals 4 games to 3 to win their 6th Stanley Cup.

Off-season
At the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, California Boston selected Tyler Seguin with their first-round pick, 2nd overall. A week earlier, on June 16, 2010, Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs and Principal Charlie Jacobs announced that Cam Neely was named President of the Boston Bruins. Neely, a former player and 2005 Hall of Fame inductee, became the eighth president in club history.

The Bruins sought to "tweak the composition" during the off-season, trading puck-moving defenseman Dennis Wideman to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a perennial 20-goal scorer in Nathan Horton.

The Reading Royals, Boston's affiliate within the East Coast Hockey League renewed their relationship during the off-season. This marked the second year the organizations shared affiliation, with the Royals playing host to several Bruins prospects including goaltender Matt Dalton and defenseman Rob Kwiet.

Pre-season
On June 21, 2010, the Bruins announced their seven-game pre-season schedule. Closing out the schedule were two exhibition matches, the first in Belfast, Northern Ireland, against the Belfast Giants Select, a unified team composed of an All-Star selection of the best EIHL players from each team. The Bruins went on to beat the Giants Select 5–1 after being held scoreless for the first period. Rookie star Tyler Seguin scored a pair of goals. The Bruins then faced off against Bili Tygri Liberec of the Czech Extraliga in their final pre-season match, with veteran Patrice Bergeron putting on a five-point display that included two breakaway goals in a 7–1 victory for the Bruins.

Regular Season
As part of the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Games, the Bruins began their season on Saturday, October 9, playing against the Phoenix Coyotes at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic.

Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes


 * PIM totals include bench infractions.

Goaltenders
Note: GPI = Games Played In; TOI = Time on Ice; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/Shootout Losses; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; SV% = Save Percentage

Awards and Records

 * Prince of Wales Trophy: Boston Bruins (16th win)
 * Vezina Trophy: Tim Thomas
 * Conn Smythe Trophy: Tim Thomas
 * Tim Thomas, Goalie, NHL First All-Star Team
 * Zdeno Chara, Defense, NHL Second All-Star Team

Transactions
The Bruins were involved in the following transactions during the 2010–11 season.

Player Signings
{|class="wikitable" width=90%
 * - align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"
 * Player || Contract terms
 * Yuri Alexandrov || 2 years, $1.46 million entry-level contract
 * Shawn Thornton || 2 years, $1.625 million
 * Dennis Seidenberg || 4 years, $13 million
 * Johnny Boychuk || 2 years, $3.75 million
 * Mark Recchi || 1 year, $1.7 million
 * Daniel Paille || 2 years, $2.15 million
 * Mark Stuart || 1 year, $1.675 million
 * Andrew Bodnarchuk || 1 year, $577,500
 * Jeff LoVecchio || 1 year, $605,000
 * Adam McQuaid || 2 years, $1.15 million
 * Blake Wheeler || 1 year, $2.2 million
 * Tyler Seguin || 3 years, entry-level contract
 * Mark Stuart || 1 year, $1.675 million
 * Andrew Bodnarchuk || 1 year, $577,500
 * Jeff LoVecchio || 1 year, $605,000
 * Adam McQuaid || 2 years, $1.15 million
 * Blake Wheeler || 1 year, $2.2 million
 * Tyler Seguin || 3 years, entry-level contract
 * Adam McQuaid || 2 years, $1.15 million
 * Blake Wheeler || 1 year, $2.2 million
 * Tyler Seguin || 3 years, entry-level contract
 * Blake Wheeler || 1 year, $2.2 million
 * Tyler Seguin || 3 years, entry-level contract
 * Tyler Seguin || 3 years, entry-level contract

Draft Picks
Boston's picks at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, California.


 * Notes on draft picks
 * The Toronto Maple Leafs' first and second-round picks went to the Bruins as the result of a trade on September 18, 2009, that sent Phil Kessel to Toronto in exchange for these picks.
 * The Carolina Hurricanes' fourth-round pick went to the Bruins as the result of a trade on July 24, 2009, that sent Aaron Ward to Carolina for this pick and Patrick Eaves.
 * The Chicago Black Hawks' seventh-round pick went to the Bruins as the result of a trade on June 26, 2010, that sent Boston's seventh-round pick in 2011 to Chicago for this pick.
 * The Bruins' first-round pick, 15th overall, was traded to the Florida Panthers as a result of the trade in which the Bruins acquired Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell on June 22, 2010.
 * The Bruins' third-round pick, 75th overall, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres as a result of the trade in which the Bruins acquired Daniel Paille on October 20, 2009.

Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins, based in Providence, Rhode Island, are the Bruins AHL affiliate. The Bruins will look to return to the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Reading Royals
The Reading Royals, based in Reading, Pennsylvania, are the Bruins ECHL affiliate. The Royals will again look to compete in the Kelly Cup playoffs.

Trivia

 * Bruins who recorded a Hat trick this season include:
 * Milan Lucic during the 4-0 win over the Florida Panthers on November 18, 2010.
 * Patrice Bergeron during the 6-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on January 11, 2011.
 * Zdeno Chara during the 7-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on January 17, 2011.
 * David Krejci during the 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Game 6 of the 2011 Conference Finals, May 25, 2011.