History

The tradition of Junior Hockey in Austin dates back to the 1970s with the Austin Mavericks MidJHL (and later USHL) team that played at Riverside Arena from 1974-79 under big name coaches Lou Vairo and Frank Serratore. The Mavericks even won a National Championship in 1976 – their banner currently hanging on the wall at Riverside Arena. The Bruins honored the Mavericks on October 29th, 2016 with “Mavericks Night.”

1975 – 1976 Austin Mavericks. Midwest Junior Hockey League and National Junior Champions

The Bruins appeared in back-to-back Robertson Cup Championship Series in 2014 and 2015. They were defeated by the Fairbanks IceDogs 2 games to none in 2014 in Alaska before getting the chance to host the Finals at Riverside Arena the following season. Despite home ice advantage, the Bruins were again swept, this time by their in-state Rivals, the Minnesota Wilderness. Game 1 of that series on May 15th, 2015, was an all-time NAHL classic, lasting four overtimes. The Bruins came one win shy of returning to the Robertson Cup Tournament in 2016, falling in the Central Division Finals to the Bismarck Bobcats in a decisive fifth game. They appeared again in the Central Finals in 2018, their sixth such appearance in eight years. 

The Bruins have an impressive list of alumni playing in professional and collegiate hockey, led by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Christian Folin, who was a Bruin from 2010-12. In the Spring of 2016, Eamon McAdam, Bruins goalie from 2010-11, became the second Bruins to sign a pro contract when he inked on with the New York Islanders. McAdam is currently the starting goaltender for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Nico Sturm, a Bruins player in 2014, made his NHL debut with the Minnesota Wild in 2019, and also played for the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. The Bruins have sent numerous players to NCAA Division I programs, most recently from the 2015-16 team: Jade Miller (F, University of Minnesota-Duluth), Luke Notermann (F, University of Minnesota), and Kristofer Carlson (G, Providence College). Click here for a full list of all-time Bruins college commitments.