New Westminster Bruins
Order classic New Westminster Bruins tees and hoodies. Playing out of Queen's Park Arena, the Bruins built one of junior hockey's great dynasties by winning the league four straight seasons from 1975 to 1978, and sent Mark Recchi, Barry Beck, Olaf Kolzig and Bill Ranford on to big careers. Celebrate the Royal City's junior powerhouse by browsing all of our Bruins gear, then read the team history below. Vintage Ice Hockey Canada is a small business that keeps the designs and history of forgotten hockey clubs alive.
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New Westminster Bruins History
The New Westminster Bruins were a historic major junior hockey team that played out of Queen's Park Arena in New Westminster, British Columbia from 1971 to 1988. The Bruins had one of the most dominant dynasties in junior hockey history during the 1970s as they won the league for four consecutive seasons from 1975 to 1978.
The franchise originally began as the Estevan Bruins in Estevan, Saskatchewan, in 1966, before relocating to New Westminster in 1971. Throughout their time in New Westminster, the Bruins produced a wealth of talent, many of whom went on to have big careers in the NHL. Notable alumni include John Ogrodnick, a six-time NHL All-Star; Barry Beck, who served as captain of the New York Rangers; Mark Recchi, a Hockey Hall of Famer and three-time Stanley Cup champion; and goalies Olaf Kolzig and Bill Ranford, who need no introductions.
In 1981, the original Bruins franchise was relocated to Kamloops. However, a second iteration of the Bruins was established in New Westminster in 1983 to fill the gap in hockey in New Westminster. This second version of the Bruins remained in New Westminster until 1988, when the franchise ultimately relocated once again, marking the end of the Bruins' era.
