Boston Junior Bruins

The Boston Junior Bruins are an American junior ice hockey organization playing in Marlborough, Massachusetts. They currently field three junior and a number of youth teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).

Boston Junior Bruins
CityMarlborough, Massachusetts
LeagueUSPHL
Founded1999 (1999)
Home arenaNew England Sports Center
ColorsBlack, gold and white
     
General managerPeter Masters
Head coachPeter Masters (Premier)

Mission

Junior hockey is the pinnacle of the skill development program of USA Hockey. 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 Junior Bruins development program is to prepare the athlete for career advancement; either a collegiate program or professional opportunity.[1]

History

The Boston Junior Bruins were 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 Tier III Junior A Eastern Junior Hockey League (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.

To better develop talent for their Junior A program, the Junior Bruins fielded a number of youth hockey teams as well as two Tier III Junior B teams in the Empire Junior Hockey League (EmJHL) and Continental Hockey Association (renamed to Eastern States Hockey League in 2011) (CHA/ESHL).

During the 2012–13 season, Junior Bruins and other EJHL teams announced the formation of a new league called the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The new league would go on to absorb the former EmJHL and the recently announced Eastern Elite Hockey League (a new league consisting mostly of the former EJHL South) to create several junior and youth divisions within the USPHL. The former Junior A team would play in the USPHL Premier Division and its former Junior B team would play in the USPHL Empire Division (later named USP3). The Junior Bruins would also field a team in the USPHL Elite Division.

In 2017, the leagues underwent another realignment and the USPHL added the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) as their top division. The NCDC was intended to become a Tier II league but was denied sanctioning by USA Hockey.[2] The USPHL went forward without sanctioning for its junior leagues in the 2017–18 season and all of the Bruins' team were promoted the NCDC, Premier and Elite Divisions from the Premier, Elite and USP3 Divisions respectively.

Team members and regular season

Velan Nandhakumaran plays for Boston Junior Bruins

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)[3] in an exhibition game along with some scrimmages versus local prep schools and participate in 4-6 major recruiting showcase/tournaments.

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.[4]

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPtsRegular Season FinishPlayoffs
Eastern Junior Hockey League
1999–20004022180175157445th EJHL
2000–013830701612nd EJHLWon Quarterfinal game, 4–2 vs. Capital District Selects
Won Semifinal game, 5–3 vs. New England Jr. Coyotes
Lost Championship game, 3–5 vs. Walpole Stars[5]
2001–0238261101173103533rd EJHLLost Quarterfinal game, 2–5 vs. Walpole Stars[6]
2002–03382864018090601st EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals vs. Capital District Selects
Lost Semifinal game, 2–5 vs. Walpole Stars[7]
2003–04383232018073661st EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals vs. Walpole Stars
Won Semifinal game, 3–2 vs. New England Jr. Coyotes
Lost Championship game, 3–6 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[8]
2004–055136861200102791st EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals, 1–0–1 vs. New England Jr. Falcons
Won Semifinal game, 2–0 vs. Walpole Stars[9]
Won Championship game vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs
League Champions
2005–064534812177111712nd EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Bridgewater Bandits
Won Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. New England Jr. Falcons[10]
Lost Championship game, 5–6 OT vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[11]
2006–0745301131170116642nd EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals vs. New York Apple Core
Lost Semifinals vs. Bay State Breakers
2007–0845291051162102643rd EJHL NorthWon Quarterfinals vs. Bridgewater Bandits
Lost Semifinals vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs
2008–094532931183101682nd EJHL NorthLost Quarterfinals vs. Bay State Breakers
2009–1045301150166109642nd North
4th EJHL
Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Bay State Breakers
Lost Semifinals, vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs
2010–114538610215118792nd North
3rd EJHL
Won Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Springfield Pics
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs
2011–12453771239135751st EJHLWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. New England Jr. Huskies
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2012–134532103155113671st North
2nd EJHL
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Bay State Breakers
United States Premier Hockey League
2013–14483684184103751st of 9, USPHL-PremierWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Portland Jr. Pirates
Won Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Islanders Hockey Club
Won Finals, 2–0 vs. Jersey Hitmen
League Champions
2014–15483884207122802nd of 11, USPHL-PremierLost Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. South Shore Kings
2015–16443392195104683rd of 12, USPHL-PremierWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Flyers Junior
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2016–174533120170102663rd of 10, USPHL-PremierWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. South Shore Kings
Won Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Syracuse Stars
Lost Finals, 0–2 vs. Islanders Hockey Club
2017–185036133186129752nd of 11, NCDCWon Quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Syracuse Stars
Lost Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Jersey Hitmen
2018–195032153200139672nd of 12, NCDCWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Boston Bandits
Won Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Northern Cyclones
Won Finals, 2–1 vs. Connecticut Jr. Rangers
League Champions
2019–20503983208129812nd of 13, NCDCPlayoffs cancelled

USA Hockey Tier III Jr National Championships

Round robin play in pool with top 4 teams advancing to semi-final.

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemiFinalChampionship Game
2014[12]W, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EHL) 5-3
W, Helena Bighorns (AWHL) 6-0
W, Marquette Royales (MnJHL) 11-1
3-0-01st of 4
Red Pool
W, Springfield Pics (USPHL Elite) 6-0W, North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL) 4-1
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

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 nationwide picked as Hobey Baker Award pre-season 'players to watch'.[13]

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.[14]

Notable former Junior level Bruins players include:
Brendan Buckley (AHL)[15]
Bobby Butler (NHL)
Jack Eichel (NHL)[16]
Steve Moses (NHL)
Frank Vatrano (NHL)

Notable Youth level Bruins:
Sean Haggerty (NHL)[17][18]
Blake Sloan (NHL)[19]
Rudi Ying (KHL)

Notes and references

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