By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
This June has been a celebratory month for former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron. The franchise announced that number 37 will soon hang in the TD Garden rafters. Bergeron will become the 14th skater in Bruins’ history to have his number retired. That ceremony will take place this upcoming season.
Bergeron also received the highest possible honor for a hockey player. The former Bruins captain will be inducted into the 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class in his first year of eligibility.
He is, without question, worthy of both of these prestigious recognitions. As Bergeron is not only one of the most revered Bruins of all time, but also one of the most respected athletes New England has ever had the pleasure of watching.
Bergeron was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, which was a year bursting with talent. The Bruins selected the Canadian forward 45th overall. He would spend his entire 19-year career in Boston.
Bergeron put up outstanding numbers, especially in the second half of his career. In nearly 1,300 regular-season games donning the Spoked-B on his chest, Bergeron potted 427 goals and dished out 613 assists to accumulate 1,040 total points. He finished with six 30-goal seasons and seven 20-goal campaigns. But Bergeron’s skill set was never limited to offensive production.
As a top six center in Boston for the majority of his career, he was one of the most complete two-way forwards in the league, year after year. His defensive game was dogged, as his ability to forecheck effectively and win puck battles along the boards made him valuable in all situations. Bergeron walked away with the Selke Trophy for best defensive forward in the NHL six times and even won it 11 seasons apart.
On the penalty kill, especially when paired with Brad Marchand, he was a menace. Evidenced by the fact Bergeron retired with a whopping 22 shorthanded goals.
On the dot, Bergeron was as elite as they come. He won 58.9 percent of his faceoffs and cracked at least 60 percent on six occasions. Also, the centerman never had a season in which he lost more than half of his draws.
During Bergeron’s prime years in Boston, the Bruins were a perennial playoff team. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals on three occasions and lifted Lord Stanley in 2011.
And while Bruins fans will always be frustrated that the Bergeron Era ended with the lone championship, it will never be forgotten how the centerman performed in the clinching game. Bergeron potted the series-winning goal and a shorthanded score for good measure as Boston hoisted The Cup for the first time since 1972.
Bergeron’s impact on the ice was never just about his counting stats or his faceoff percentage. He was the embodiment of what Boston wanted in a professional athlete. Bergeron was the consummate professional who gave everything he had to the organization.
He played through a myriad of injuries during the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. Was always praised as a tremendous teammate and figure in the community. And even though the Bruins did not end every spring as champions, Bergeron emptied his bucket each time he skated onto the ice.
There are many beloved Boston sports figures who are remembered as much for their talent and accomplishments as they are for their commitment to the organization, the city, and the fans. That will be Bergeron’s legacy. A man future Bruins’ skaters, Boston athletes, and New Englanders can point to as someone who went about things the right way.
Leave a Reply