In the beginning, the Boston Bruins were a rough tribe of Canadian tradesmen seeking their fortune with the first American team in the fledgling National Hockey League. When the Bruins played their first game in 1924, hockey was already a staple of the Boston sports scene. It was the prospect of attracting the capacity crowds that supported Boston's local club and college teams that lured Charles F. Adams to invest in the franchise. The Bruins were both an outgrowth of local tradition and a manifestation of the ambitions of the NHL. Their roster has included the likes of Eddie Shore, "Dit"...