Boston Jr. Bruins
Encyclopedia
The Boston Junior Bruins are an American
junior
ice hockey
organization playing in Marlborough, MA. They field two Junior and a number of Youth teams. The Junior A team plays in the Eastern Junior Hockey League
. The Junior B team of the same name competes in the Empire Junior B Hockey League.
. The program is available to high school students and graduates seeking a greater challenge than that available through their prep school, high school, or club team. The principal purpose of the Junor Bruins development program is to prepare the athlete for career advancement; either a collegiate program or professional opportunity.
(EJHL) in 1999.
During their first three EJHL seasons, Head Coach Peter Masters and his staff led the team to fourth, third, and second place finishes overall in the twelve-team league. In 2000-01 the team finished the regular season with a 45-15-1 overall record as the EJHL Northern Division Champions.
The schedule includes 45 EJHL regular season schedule games plus three rounds of playoffs. From year to year the Junior Bruins normally play one or both of the US National teams (USA Hockey's National Team Development Program) in an exhibition game along with some scrimmages versus local prep schools and participate in 4-6 major recruiting showcase/tournaments.
Peter Masters, 2001 EJHL Coach of the Year, graduated from Boston College in 1997. While at Boston College, Masters played defense for the BC Eagles under coaches Steve Cedorchuk and Jerry York, and was recognized in 1997 as one of eight defensemen nation-wide picked as Hobey Baker Award pre-season 'players to watch'.
Notable former Boston Junior Bruins players include
Blake Sloan
(NHL)
Brendan Buckley (AHL)
Sean Haggerty (NHL)
Tim Lovell (AHL)
Bobby Butler (NHL)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
junior
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
organization playing in Marlborough, MA. They field two Junior and a number of Youth teams. The Junior A team plays in the Eastern Junior Hockey League
Eastern Junior Hockey League
The Eastern Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale, the EJHL has fourteen teams from across the Northeastern United States. The EJHL is a member of USA Hockey, and the EJHL champion goes on to play for the National Championship...
. The Junior B team of the same name competes in the Empire Junior B Hockey League.
Mission
Junior Hockey is the pinnacle of the skill development program of USA HockeyUSA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
. The program is available to high school students and graduates seeking a greater challenge than that available through their prep school, high school, or club team. The principal purpose of the Junor Bruins development program is to prepare the athlete for career advancement; either a collegiate program or professional opportunity.
History
The Boston Junior Bruins was founded in 1991 as an independent junior team. The Junior Bruins played prep schools and local junior teams, and competed in major tournaments throughout North America before joining the Eastern Junior Hockey LeagueEastern Junior Hockey League
The Eastern Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale, the EJHL has fourteen teams from across the Northeastern United States. The EJHL is a member of USA Hockey, and the EJHL champion goes on to play for the National Championship...
(EJHL) in 1999.
During their first three EJHL seasons, Head Coach Peter Masters and his staff led the team to fourth, third, and second place finishes overall in the twelve-team league. In 2000-01 the team finished the regular season with a 45-15-1 overall record as the EJHL Northern Division Champions.
Team Members and Regular Season
The Junior Bruins hold tryouts in April and final camp in late July. The Junior Bruins team is typically composed of 12 to 13 forwards, 6 to 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies on the active roster. All players are between the ages of 16 and 20. The season starts the day after Labor Day and playoffs finish during the third week of March each year. The team typically practices 3 to 4 times per week.The schedule includes 45 EJHL regular season schedule games plus three rounds of playoffs. From year to year the Junior Bruins normally play one or both of the US National teams (USA Hockey's National Team Development Program) in an exhibition game along with some scrimmages versus local prep schools and participate in 4-6 major recruiting showcase/tournaments.
Coach
Head coach Peter Masters functions as both head coach for the EJHL team and manager for all Junior Bruins activities. His responsibilities include program and organization development, direction of skill sessions and summer camps for youth hockey players and the Annual Junior Bruins Shootout Tournament in the fall and Beantown Classic Tournament in August.Peter Masters, 2001 EJHL Coach of the Year, graduated from Boston College in 1997. While at Boston College, Masters played defense for the BC Eagles under coaches Steve Cedorchuk and Jerry York, and was recognized in 1997 as one of eight defensemen nation-wide picked as Hobey Baker Award pre-season 'players to watch'.
Alumni
Since 1992 the Junior Bruins have placed over 100 players in college hockey and since 2001 more than 35 have been recruited to Division I college teams.Notable former Boston Junior Bruins players include
Blake Sloan
Blake Sloan
Blake Sloan is an American professional ice hockey player currently with Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . Although he played forward in the NHL, the majority of his career has been played as a defenceman....
(NHL)
Brendan Buckley (AHL)
Sean Haggerty (NHL)
Tim Lovell (AHL)
Bobby Butler (NHL)
Charitable involvement
The Bay State Hockey Foundation (BSHF) is the non-profit arm of the Junior Bruins Organization. Founded in 2005, the mission of the BSHF is to provide " ... children and young adults with lower extremity paralysis and other disabilities the opportunity to participate in the sport of sled ice hockey ... " Equipment and participation are free for qualified individuals.Season-by-season results
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1999-00 | 40 | 22 | 18 | 0 | ||||||
| 175 | 157 | 44 | 5th EJHL | |||||||
| 2000-01 | 38 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 61 | 1st EJHL | |||||||||
| 2001-02 | 38 | 26 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 173 | 103 | 53 | 3rd EJHL | |
| 2002-03 | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 180 | 90 | 60 | 1st EJHL North | |
| 2003-04 | 38 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 180 | 73 | 66 | 1st EJHL North | |
| 2004-05 | 51 | 36 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 200 | 102 | 79 | 1st EJHL North | |
| 2005-06 | 45 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 177 | 111 | 71 | 2nd EJHL North | |
| 2006-07 | 45 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 170 | 116 | 64 | 2nd EJHL North | |
| 2007-08 | 45 | 29 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 162 | 102 | 64 | 3rd EJHL North | |
| 2008-09 | 45 | 32 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 183 | 101 | 68 | 2nd EJHL North |