Art Ross Arthur Howey " Art " Ross ( January 13 , 1886 – August 5 , 1964 ) was a Canadian executive and defenceman in the National Hockey League and its predecessor , the National Hockey Association . Born in Naughton , Ontario , Ross grew up in Montreal where he played junior hockey . In 1905 , he joined the Brandon Elks in Manitoba and in 1907 won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Kenora Thistles . For the next season , he returned to Montreal to play for the Montreal Wanderers and again won the Stanley Cup with his new team in 1908 . Ross played in the National Hockey Association in 1910 as a member of the Haileybury Comets . He returned to the Wanderers for the next four seasons , then played for the Ottawa Senators in 1914 – 15 and 1915 – 16 before returning to the Wanderers to finish his career . When the Wanderers joined the newly - created NHL for the inaugural 1917 – 18 season , Ross only played three games before a fire destroyed the Wanderers ' arena , forcing the team to fold . He was a fearless and rugged defenceman and never shied away from a fight . One of his most legendary was with Minnie McGiffen of the Toronto Blueshirts in which both players were arrested for assault and referee Cooper Smeaton almost got arrested . He was also a fighter for players ' rights . In 1910 , he opposed the NHA ' s imposition of a salary cap of $ 5 , 000 per team . He did the same thing in 1915 and was banned from the NHA . The league ' s owners , though , thought that they had acted too harshly and reinstated Ross . Following his playing career , Ross became an NHL referee and then coached the Hamilton Tigers for the 1922 – 23 season . He could not get the Tigers out of the cellar , and was let go . When the NHL placed a team in Boston for the 1924 – 25 NHL season , the new team ' s owner , Charles Adams , hired Ross as vice president , general manager and head coach . Adams told Ross that the new team ' s nickname must portray an untamed animal displaying speed , agility , and cunning . Ross ' choice was " Bruins , " after the brown bear . He served as the Bruins ' general manager until 1954 , helping lead the team to Stanley Cups in 1929 , 1939 , and 1941 . He also coached the Bruins on four separate occasions from 1924 to 1945 — including the 1939 , 1941 Cup - winning teams — and is still the winningest coach in Bruins history . He had a habit of insulting other governors . In 1936 – 37 , he chose Red Dutton of the New York Americans as his target . Dutton held his anger until James Norris of Detroit interceded to make peace . Unfortunately , Ross was throwing a punch and Norris took it . Dutton then proceeded to pummel Ross until Ross had a broken nose , a fractured cheekbone and had lost some teeth . Ross was one of the first 12 inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945 , as a player . Ross is credited as being the first to promote the use of hockey pucks made of synthetic rubber instead of natural rubber , which provide for more consistent play . He also invented the modern B - shaped goal which cuts down on dangerous rebounds coming out of the net . He donated the Art Ross Trophy to the NHL . He died in Medford , Massachusetts , aged 78 .