# 1956–57 Boston Bruins season

The 1956–57 Boston Bruins were one of six teams in the 40th season of the National Hockey League. The team finished with a record of 34 wins, 24 losses, and 12 ties. Their record earned them the third seed in the Stanley Cup playoffs, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the final. With 21 goals and 39 assists, Center Don McKenney was the team's leading scorer.

## Regular season
### Final standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 198 | 157 | +41 | 88 |
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 210 | 155 | +55 | 82 |
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 34 | 24 | 12 | 195 | 174 | +21 | 80 |
| 4 | New York Rangers | 70 | 26 | 30 | 14 | 184 | 227 | −43 | 66 |
| 5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 21 | 34 | 15 | 174 | 192 | −18 | 57 |
| 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 16 | 39 | 15 | 169 | 225 | −56 | 47 |

### Record vs. opponents

1956–57 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 8–5–1 | 7–4–3 | 7–4–3 | 5–8–1 | 7–3–4 |
| Chicago | 5–8–1 | — | 2–10–2 | 3–8–3 | 1–7–6 | 5–6–3 |
| Detroit | 4–7–3 | 10–2–2 | — | 4–6–4 | 10–3–1 | 10–2–2 |
| Montreal | 4–7–3 | 8–3–3 | 6–4–4 | — | 8–5–1 | 9–4–1 |
| New York | 8–5–1 | 7–1–6 | 3–10–1 | 5–8–1 | — | 3–6–5 |
| Toronto | 3–7–4 | 6–5–3 | 2–10–2 | 4–9–1 | 6–3–5 | — |

## Schedule and results

Regular season schedule :
| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | T | October 11, 1956 | 4–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 0–0–1 |
| 2 | L | October 13, 1956 | 0–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 0–1–1 |
| 3 | W | October 14, 1956 | 3–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | L | October 17, 1956 | 0–2 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | T | October 20, 1956 | 2–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 1–2–2 |
| 6 | T | October 21, 1956 | 3–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 1–2–3 |
| 7 | W | October 27, 1956 | 1–0 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 2–2–3 |
| 8 | L | October 30, 1956 | 0–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 2–3–3 |
| 9 | W | November 1, 1956 | 5–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 3–3–3 |
| 10 | W | November 4, 1956 | 4–1 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 4–3–3 |
| 11 | W | November 7, 1956 | 4–2 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 5–3–3 |
| 12 | W | November 8, 1956 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 6–3–3 |
| 13 | W | November 10, 1956 | 3–1 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 7–3–3 |
| 14 | W | November 11, 1956 | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 8–3–3 |
| 15 | W | November 15, 1956 | 5–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 9–3–3 |
| 16 | T | November 17, 1956 | 4–4 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 9–3–4 |
| 17 | W | November 18, 1956 | 4–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 10–3–4 |
| 18 | L | November 22, 1956 | 3–4 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 10–4–4 |
| 19 | W | November 24, 1956 | 3–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 11–4–4 |
| 20 | W | November 25, 1956 | 3–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 12–4–4 |
| 21 | L | November 28, 1956 | 1–2 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 12–5–4 |
| 22 | W | November 29, 1956 | 2–0 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 13–5–4 |
| 23 | W | December 2, 1956 | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 14–5–4 |
| 24 | L | December 6, 1956 | 2–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 14–6–4 |
| 25 | W | December 8, 1956 | 5–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 15–6–4 |
| 26 | T | December 9, 1956 | 1–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 15–6–5 |
| 27 | W | December 13, 1956 | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 16–6–5 |
| 28 | L | December 15, 1956 | 4–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 16–7–5 |
| 29 | W | December 16, 1956 | 4–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 17–7–5 |
| 30 | T | December 20, 1956 | 1–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 17–7–6 |
| 31 | W | December 22, 1956 | 3–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 18–7–6 |
| 32 | L | December 23, 1956 | 1–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 18–8–6 |
| 33 | L | December 25, 1956 | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 18–9–6 |
| 34 | L | December 27, 1956 | 3–5 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 18–10–6 |
| 35 | W | December 30, 1956 | 4–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 19–10–6 |
| 36 | W | January 1, 1957 | 5–3 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 20–10–6 |
| 37 | L | January 5, 1957 | 2–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 20–11–6 |
| 38 | T | January 6, 1957 | 4–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 20–11–7 |
| 39 | W | January 10, 1957 | 2–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 21–11–7 |
| 40 | L | January 12, 1957 | 1–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 21–12–7 |
| 41 | L | January 13, 1957 | 1–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 21–13–7 |
| 42 | T | January 17, 1957 | 2–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 21–13–8 |
| 43 | L | January 19, 1957 | 1–4 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 21–14–8 |
| 44 | L | January 20, 1957 | 2–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 21–15–8 |
| 45 | L | January 26, 1957 | 3–5 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 21–16–8 |
| 46 | W | January 27, 1957 | 5–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 22–16–8 |
| 47 | W | January 31, 1957 | 2–0 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 23–16–8 |
| 48 | W | February 2, 1957 | 2–1 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 24–16–8 |
| 49 | W | February 3, 1957 | 4–1 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 25–16–8 |
| 50 | L | February 6, 1957 | 2–3 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 25–17–8 |
| 51 | W | February 7, 1957 | 1–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 26–17–8 |
| 52 | T | February 9, 1957 | 2–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 26–17–9 |
| 53 | W | February 10, 1957 | 5–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 27–17–9 |
| 54 | T | February 13, 1957 | 2–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 27–17–10 |
| 55 | L | February 16, 1957 | 5–6 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 27–18–10 |
| 56 | L | February 17, 1957 | 2–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 27–19–10 |
| 57 | L | February 20, 1957 | 2–5 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 27–20–10 |
| 58 | W | February 23, 1957 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 28–20–10 |
| 59 | L | February 24, 1957 | 3–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 28–21–10 |
| 60 | W | February 28, 1957 | 4–0 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 29–21–10 |
| 61 | L | March 2, 1957 | 2–3 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 29–22–10 |
| 62 | W | March 3, 1957 | 5–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 30–22–10 |
| 63 | L | March 7, 1957 | 2–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 30–23–10 |
| 64 | W | March 9, 1957 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 31–23–10 |
| 65 | T | March 10, 1957 | 3–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1956–57) | 31–23–11 |
| 66 | W | March 13, 1957 | 2–1 | @ New York Rangers (1956–57) | 32–23–11 |
| 67 | T | March 16, 1957 | 2–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1956–57) | 32–23–12 |
| 68 | W | March 17, 1957 | 6–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1956–57) | 33–23–12 |
| 69 | W | March 21, 1957 | 2–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1956–57) | 34–23–12 |
| 70 | L | March 23, 1957 | 2–4 | New York Rangers (1956–57) | 34–24–12 |

## Playoffs

    See 1957 Stanley Cup Finals.
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Stanley Cup Finals | Stanley Cup Finals | Stanley Cup Finals |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 4 | 3 | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| | | | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 |
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 |
| 4 | New York Rangers | 1 | | | |
The Boston Bruins were seeded third in the Stanley Cup Semi-finals, where they defeated the top seeded Detroit Red Wings 4–1. In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Bruins were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens 4–1.

## Player statistics
### Regular season
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Don McKenney | C | 69 | 21 | 39 | 60 | 31 |
| Real Chevrefils | LW | 70 | 31 | 17 | 48 | 38 |
| Leo Labine | RW | 67 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 128 |
| Vic Stasiuk | LW | 64 | 24 | 16 | 40 | 69 |
| Doug Mohns | LW/D | 68 | 6 | 34 | 40 | 89 |
| Fleming MacKell | C | 65 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 73 |
| Johnny Peirson | RW | 68 | 13 | 26 | 39 | 41 |
| Jerry Toppazzini | RW | 55 | 15 | 23 | 38 | 26 |
| Larry Regan | RW | 69 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 29 |
| Cal Gardner | C | 70 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 66 |
| Fern Flaman | D | 68 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 108 |
| Allan Stanley | D | 60 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 45 |
| Bob Armstrong | D | 57 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 79 |
| Leo Boivin | D | 55 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 55 |
| Jack Bionda | D | 35 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 43 |
| Jack Caffery | C | 47 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| Bob Beckett | C | 18 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Al Nicholson | LW | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dick Cherry | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Norm Defelice | G | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Floyd Hillman | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Ed Panagabko | C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Ranieri | LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terry Sawchuk | G | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Don Simmons | G | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Floyd Smith | RW | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| Terry Sawchuk | 2040 | 34 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 81 | 2.38 | 2 |
| Don Simmons | 1560 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 63 | 2.42 | 4 |
| Norm Defelice | 600 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 3.00 | 0 |
| Team: | 4200 | 70 | 34 | 24 | 12 | 174 | 2.49 | 6 |

### Playoffs
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Fleming MacKell | C | 10 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Don McKenney | C | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Leo Labine | RW | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
| Leo Boivin | D | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| Doug Mohns | LW/D | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Real Chevrefils | LW | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Cal Gardner | C | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Vic Stasiuk | LW | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Bob Armstrong | D | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| Fern Flaman | D | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| Johnny Peirson | RW | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| Larry Regan | RW | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Buddy Boone | RW | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Jack Caffery | C | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Jack Bionda | D | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Jerry Toppazzini | RW | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Don Simmons | G | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | SO |
| Don Simmons | 600 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 2.90 | 2 |
| Team: | 600 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 2.90 | 2 |
    Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
    Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

## Awards and records

26-year-old RW Larry Regan was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year.

## Farm teams

* Hershey Bears
* Victoria Cougars
* Quebec Aces