After the final buzzer sounded in Boston’s Game 7 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs, the captain led the Bruins through the traditional handshake line. Then he positioned himself near the exit, embracing every one of his teammates.
The campaign was over, and the team's unquestioned leader made sure to express his appreciation.
That show of class is a big reason Patrice Bergeron, whose contract is set to expire and whose future is uncertain, is one of the greatest Bruins players in history, and a beloved Boston icon.
"He means so much to this franchise," head coach Bruce Cassidy said immediately after the game. "We all want him back, but only he can answer that. I have no inkling. I have not addressed it with him. It’s not my place in the middle of the season. He’ll make that decision going forward.”
What Bergeron is to Boston and the Bruins is much more than the solid if unspectacular numbers he’s produced over his 19-year career. While he’s only worn the captain’s ‘C’ on his sweater for two full seasons since Zdeno Chara left, Bergeron was a longtime de facto captain with No. 33.
He not only established himself as perhaps the greatest defensive forward in NHL history, but he was instrumental in creating a winning culture in Boston. He’s won every meaningful team championship you can: Olympic gold medals, a men’s world championship, world junior championship, and of course, he raised the Stanley Cup over his head at age 25 with the Bruins.
Now, he is without an NHL contract for the first time since he signed with the team in 2003.
One thing that is certain: If he continues playing, it will be in Boston.
"I've been here for my whole career,” Bergeron said last week. “Obviously, it's a special place for me. As I said, it's not on my mind. Right now, I just need to take time and regroup."
Bergeron announced last summer he would not sign an extension during the season, the final one of an eight-year pact he signed on July 12, 2013, that paid him $55 million.
After a devastating concussion cost him most of the 2007-08 season, Bergeron has endured in the near 15 years since. He’s been a constant in a sea of changes with the Bruins since he arrived as a shy teenager. Joe Thornton was the captain when the Quebec City native came to in Boston, and while the former is still plugging away in the NHL at age 42, B’s fans have probably known in their hearts that Bergeron isn’t going to keep playing into his 40s.
Bergeron turned 30 in 2015, and in the years since, his offensive production has improved from what he was doing in his 20s. Like Tom Brady, Bergeron had a fanatical dedication to keeping himself in top shape. His genius-level hockey IQ has elevated Bergeron to the upper stratosphere in Bruins franchise history, even if he sometimes gets the short shrift outside of Boston.
He was recently named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward for an unprecedented 11th consecutive season. It’s an honor he’s won four times, and if not for some questionable judgment by some of the media members who vote by leaving him entirely off of their ballots, he’d have at least six or more on his mantle.
At 36, Bergeron had arguably one of his greatest seasons in nearly two decades of excellence. He did it through a sluggish start and pandemic disruptions that forced the team to play a heavy volume of games to finish out the regular season. In November, he scored four goals in a game against the Detroit Red Wings for the first time in his career. His 65 points were his third-highest total since 2015, with a plus/minus of plus-26, the 15th consecutive year he’s not finished in negative territory.
He led the NHL in faceoff wins (991), and his total draws (1,600) were second only to Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (1,660 faceoffs- 881 wins). Bergeron has not only continued to be the platinum standard when it comes to defensive play, but his consistent offensive numbers also tell the story of one of the game’s true greats.
Bergeron’s character and off-ice conduct transcends everything he’s accomplished in the sport. He's been an example and mentor to a lot of Bruins players over the years. Among the biggest impacts he made was on Brad Marchand, and he helped the latter become a league superstar after a checkered start to his career on and off the ice.
“I owe so much of what I’ve been able to accomplish to him,” Marchand said. “Not just because of playing on the same line with him, but just because how great of a leader he is, how great of a person he is.
“To be able to learn day in and day out from a guy like that, I don’t really think I understood how much it meant and how good it is for players to have a guy like that…it can make a huge impact on your career. That’s why you’ve seen (David Pastrnak) and the way he’s grown into the player he has, and Charlie (McAvoy’s) making steps, it’s because of guys like him.”
Because of the wear and tear on his body, it is understandable that Bergeron is considering walking away. He has nothing left to prove as a player. He has a young family with three kids who are at that age when a professional playing career is often at odds with their activities and desire to have their dad around.
On the flip side, a Bergeron retirement now would put the B’s in a tough spot. No one can replace what he brings to this team, but the organization lacks a cohesive plan to address it. Losing David Krejci to the Czech Republic a year ago was one thing, but if Bergeron hangs ‘em up, general manager Don Sweeney will face the most daunting task of his tenure. Given Bergeron’s loyalty and character, it doesn’t seem to fit that he would allow the timing of his departure to coincide with opening up a gaping hole in the lineup. That wouldn't just impact the front office, but the teammates he loves and respects.
For now, we can only watch and wait. Bergeron said he needed time to process and consider his options. He’s always been thoughtful and deliberate, so any decision won’t be made hastily or before he’s ready to fully commit to his next course of action.
“I’ve had a front-row seat for 13 years or whatever it’s been,” said Marchand. “When you have a guy like that, and you’re with him that long…those habits he has wear off on you and bleed into your daily routine. The biggest part is because you don’t want to let a guy like that down. You want him to want to be your linemate and want to be your friend. You want to be accountable and don’t want to disappoint him in any way.”
For a fan base that has been fortunate to witness Bergeron grow and blossom into one of the NHL’s all-time greats, reality is setting in that he’s in the twilight of his career.
Whether he’s back for one more year or not, it was a magical ride, and we won’t likely see another like him.
