Boston Bruins announce major change after 51 years

The Jacobs family has been synonymous with the Boston Bruins for more than half a century. That isn't changing anytime soon, but the face representing the franchise at the highest levels of the NHL is about to look a little different.

Jeremy M. Jacobs, who served as the Bruins' governor for 51 years, announced that his son, Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs, will take over as the team's governor and represent the club on the NHL's Board of Governors. The Bruins organization shared the announcement on Wednesday.

The transition marks the end of one of the longest ownership tenures in professional hockey history. Jeremy Jacobs purchased the Bruins and Boston Garden in 1975 for roughly $10 million, when Bobby Orr was still skating for the franchise. In the decades that followed, he oversaw the construction of TD Garden, guided the team to 42 playoff appearances across 50 seasons, and celebrated a Stanley Cup championship in 2011 when Boston defeated the Vancouver Canucks.

The Bruins also reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and 2019 under his stewardship.

Beyond Boston, Jacobs wielded enormous influence across the league. He served as chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors beginning in 2007, the longest tenure in the history of that position, which dates back to 1925. During his time as chairman, the league secured landmark media rights deals, expanded into Las Vegas and Seattle, and ratified a collective bargaining agreement that runs through 2030.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2017 and received the Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States. Commissioner Gary Bettman praised Jacobs' leadership, saying his "wisdom and unwavering commitment" helped guide the league through "a period of unprecedented growth, both on and off the ice."

Jacobs had previously stepped down as chairman of the Board of Governors, with Washington Capitals governor Ted Leonsis voted unanimously as his successor in that role. Calgary Flames owner Murray Edwards was named vice chairman.

Now, with Charlie Jacobs officially stepping into the governor role for the Bruins, the generational handoff within the family is complete. Charlie has served as the team's CEO and has been deeply involved in the organization's operations for years, making the succession a natural progression rather than a surprise.

The younger Jacobs inherits a franchise with deep roots and high expectations. How he shapes the Bruins' direction moving forward, both on the ice and in the league's boardroom, will determine whether the next chapter of the family's legacy matches the remarkable scope of the first.