Frosty's Hockey World - Boston Bruins Jersey History

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Boston Bruins Jersey History: 1976 - 1977

1970-1971 | 1971-1972 | 1972-1973 | 1973-1974 | 1974-1975 | 1975-1976 | 1976-1977 | 1977-1978 | 1978-1979 | 1979-1980

The team is wearing Wilson jerseys in this photo
Notice the style of the number 2s and the placement of the bear head shoulder patches.
The Bruins would wear Champion mesh jerseys during the 1976-77 regular season. While the Champion jerseys had made an appearance during the 1975-76 pre-season and again in the 1975-76 playoffs, it was not until the 1976-77 season that these saw action during the regular season. In addition to the Champion jerseys, the previous season's Wilson dureen jerseys also saw some regular season game action as well with the Mass. Bicentennial patches removed.

To complicate things just a tad, the Bruins would add a new "jersey" in the locker room in January 1977 - Stall and Dean heavy mesh jerseys. These jerseys would see use for the remainder of the regular season as well as in the 1977 playoffs, sharing the limelight with the Champion jerseys.

Per Classic Auctions:

Bruins opened the 1976-77 season at home with Champion, then switched back and forth between Wilson and Champion into October before Champion takes over totally.

Stall and Dean takes over in late January. Champion road goes away totally, but Champion home comes back for three special regular-season games with nameplates, and is used along with Stall and Dean throughout the playoffs, including the final two games of the SCF series in Boston.

Champion is used in the 1977 training camp but is never again worn in a game after the 77 playoffs. That said, they do hang around to be used in different capacities through at least the 1981 training camp.

The 1976-77 season would see the introduction of the bear head shoulder patches as these were added to the Champion mesh jerseys, the recycled 1975-76 Wilson dureen jerseys (after the Mass Bicentennial patches were removed) and the Stall and Dean mesh jerseys. First use of the bear head shoulder patches appears during the Bruins home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 15, 1976.

Home Jersey
Champion Mesh
Photo Source: Classic Auctions

Bruins 1976-77 jersey

Home Jersey
Champion Mesh
Photo Source: Frosty's Hockey World

You can see more detailed information on this Gilles Gilbert jersey HERE

Bruins 1976-77 jersey

Road Jersey
Champion Mesh
Photo Source: Classic Auctions

Champion Neck Tag:

Road Jersey
Wilson Dureen 1975-76 Refurb with bear head patches
Photo Source: Frosty's Hockey World

You can see more detailed information on this Gilles Gilbert jersey HERE

Wilson Neck Tag:

Manufacturer: Champion | Stall and Dean | Wilson
Style: Mesh | Mesh | Dureen
Patches: Bear Head Shoulder Patches
Fight strap style:

Wilson Fight Strap

Champion Fight Strap

So how do you tell the difference between the different style jerseys?

There are a few telling differences when looking at the jerseys to help determine exactly which style jersey you are looking at:

The Number 2
Perhaps the easiest differentiator between a Champion jersey and either a Wilson | Stall and Dean is the Number 2 as two very distinct styles are used as follows:

The placement of the Bruins crest:
The crest placement is also different between between a Champion jersey and either a Wilson | Stall and Dean jersey as the Champion crest is placed lower from the neck line as follows:

The placement of the Bruin bear head shoulder patches:
The Bear Head patch is much closer to the sleeve numbers on the Champion jerseys as follows:

The bottom hem stripe on the jersey:
The bottom stripe on a Stall and Dean jersey is different from the Champion or Wilson jerseys as it is wider than the top strip on the bottom hem and also not a mesh material. It is a knit material:

Boston Bruin Goalies in 1976-77:
Gilles Gilbert
Gerry Cheevers
Jim Pettie

1977 NHL All-Star Game Jerseys
The Boston Bruins would have two players suit up for the NHL All Star Game on January 25, 1977 in Vancouver:

Brad Park (defense)
Peter McNab (center)

Here is an example of the jerseys the Bruins wore during the All Star game: