1970–71 Boston Bruins season

The 1970–71 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 47th season in the NHL. As defending champions, Boston set many NHL records. They earned 54 wins and 121 points, surpassing the previous records set by the 1968-69 Montreal Canadiens. They also scored 399 goals to shatter their own record set in 1968-69, and their goal differential of +192 surpassed the previous record set by the 1943-44 Montreal Canadiens as well. The NHL's top four scorers (Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, and Ken Hodge), each with over 100 points, were all Bruins; previously, there had only been four players in the history of the NHL with 100-point seasons, and no other NHL franchise has ever produced the top four scorers in a season (the Bruins replicated the feat in 1973-74). With 76 goals and 152 points, Esposito broke Bobby Hull's single season record for goals, as well as his own single season points record, both set in 1968-69. Finally, with 102 assists, Orr broke the single season record for most assists that he set the previous year.

However, the team's unprecedented offence was shut down by rookie goaltender Ken Dryden, who guided the Montreal Canadiens to a seven-game upset against the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs.

All of the Bruins' aforementioned records have since been broken:
 * The Montreal Canadiens earned 58 wins and 127 points in 1975-76.
 * Montreal earned a goal differential of +216 in 1976-77.
 * Wayne Gretzky scored 109 assists and 164 points in 1980-81.
 * Gretzky scored 92 goals while the Edmonton Oilers scored 417 total goals in 1981-82.

Offseason

 * Bobby Orr signed the NHL's first one million dollar contract (to be paid out over five years).

Regular season
The 1970–71 Bruins set an NHL record by having 10 different skaters score 20 goals or more in a season. The record was broken by the 1977–78 Bruins when they had 11 different skaters with 20 goals or more.

Playoffs
The postseason ended quickly for the Bruins as they lost in the opening round to the Montreal Canadiens and their rookie goaltender Ken Dryden in a seven-game upset.

Regular season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Playoffs

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Awards and records

 * Prince of Wales Trophy: || Boston Bruins
 * Art Ross Trophy: || Phil Esposito
 * Hart Memorial Trophy: || Bobby Orr
 * James Norris Memorial Trophy: || Bobby Orr
 * Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: || Johnny Bucyk
 * Lester B. Pearson Award: || Phil Esposito
 * NHL Plus/Minus Award: || Bobby Orr
 * Johnny Bucyk, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Phil Esposito, Center, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Phil Esposito, Club Record, Most Points in a Season, 152
 * Phil Esposito, NHL Record, Most Shots on Goal in One Season (550)
 * Ken Hodge, Right Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Bobby Orr, Defence, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Bobby Orr, Club Record, Most Assists in a Season, 102
 * Bobby Orr, NHL Record, Most Assists by a Defenseman in One Season (102)
 * Bobby Orr, NHL Record, Most Points by a Defenseman in One Season (139)