Bruins
“He’s an iconic participant on this franchise.”

After near twenty years in a black-and-gold sweater, Patrice Bergeron introduced on Tuesday that his Corridor-of-Fame profession has come to an in depth.
The 38-year-old ahead retires as one of many best Bruins in franchise historical past, along with his identify etched in a number of classes throughout the document books.
In his 19 seasons with Boston, Bergeron had no scarcity of memorable moments, each on and off the ice.
Listed below are 15 that stand out within the wake of the legendary ahead’s retirement.
Making an instantaneous impression
Taken with the forty fifth total decide within the 2003 NHL Draft, Bergeron carved out a spot on the NHL roster that very same 12 months as a poised pivot with top-six potential. Simply 4 video games into his professional profession, Bergeron recorded his first level when he assisted on a Brian Rolston purpose in opposition to Dallas.
Only one sport later, Bergeron lit the lamp for his first of 427 profession targets, knocking a free puck previous Roman Čechmánek at 17:28 within the third interval in opposition to the Kings.
Bergeron in the end performed 71 video games with the Bruins as a rookie in 2003-04, scoring 16 targets and posting 39 factors. A fresh-faced teenager out of Quebec with restricted English, Bergeron grew to become acquainted to many Bruins followers due to this memorable NESN industrial alongside teammate Andrew Raycroft.
Defensive wizardry
Let’s face it, we might make this checklist a complete lot longer if we opted to incorporate each single defensive masterclass efficiency from one of the best 200-foot ahead in NHL historical past.
There is no such thing as a scarcity of choices on the subject of going by means of the in depth catalog of Bergeron’s D-zone performs, however this one in opposition to the Hurricanes again in October 2018 does stand out.
Few gamers within the NHL can frequently make an impactful play within the D-zone after which generate a purpose throughout the subsequent few seconds.
Then once more, there aren’t many gamers fairly like Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron’s impression on the ice with the Bruins is well-documented. However he left a permanent legacy throughout the group as effectively.
Bergeron took dwelling the King Clancy Memorial Trophy on the conclusion of the 2012-13 season in recognition of his quite a few charitable efforts.
Alongside along with his major charity endeavor, “Patrice’s Buddies” — which brings in hospital sufferers and youngsters’s teams to observe Bruins video games from a luxurious field — Bergeron ceaselessly visited kids’s hospitals, each in individual and nearly, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
First of many postseason tallies
Bergeron was no stranger to delivering within the clutch with well timed targets throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
We’ll concentrate on a number of extra standout postseason tallies in a bit, however the first of his profession served as an OT winner in Sport 2 in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens throughout the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bergeron grew to become the second participant in NHL historical past to attain a postseason time beyond regulation purpose at age 18 or youthful, becoming a member of Don Gallinger (1943).
Regardless that Boston in the end fell to the Habs in seven video games, a rookie Bergeron made his presence felt in his first foray of NHL postseason play, posting 4 factors within the sequence.
Combating again a concussion
Following the NHL lockout in 2004-05, Bergeron was establishing himself as one of many premier younger abilities within the NHL.
He scored 31 targets as a 20-year-old in 2005-06, and posted seven factors (3 targets, 4 assists) in his first 10 video games of the 2006-07 marketing campaign.
However Bergeron’s younger profession was almost reduce brief on Oct. 27, 2007 after Flyers defenseman Randy Jones hit him from behind — inflicting him to slam face first into the top boards at TD Backyard.
Bergeron needed to be stretchered off the ice, ultimately getting identified with a Grade 3 concussion and a damaged nostril. Extreme post-concussion signs compelled him to overlook the rest of the season, whereas further concussion woes the next 12 months restricted him to 39 factors over 64 video games in 2008-09.
Bergeron ultimately managed to keep away from lacking important stretches of video games for the subsequent few years, logging not less than 80 video games in 5 out of his subsequent six full seasons within the NHL.
Winter Basic triumphs
Bergeron performed in all 4 of Boston’s Winter Basic matchups at Fenway Park (2010, 2023), Gillette Stadium (2016) and Notre Dame Stadium (2019). He additionally took to the good open air along with his teammates throughout the 2021 NHL Out of doors Video games close to Lake Tahoe in Nevada.
Bergeron despatched near 40,000 followers dwelling completely satisfied in Boston’s first out of doors occasion at Fenway, helping on Marco Sturm’s OT purpose within the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Flyers in 2010 Winter Basic.
His finest second got here throughout the 2019 Basic in South Bend.
Within the span of 28 seconds, Bergeron snuffed out a shorthanded breakaway bid for Chicago’s David Kampf with a well timed stick raise, then buried a power-play purpose down the opposite finish of the ice.
“Selke, Selke,” Tuukka Rask said of Bergeron’s play following Boston’s 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.
Assuming the captaincy
After donning the “A” on his sweater for 14 seasons, it got here as little shock that Bergeron was named the twentieth captain in Bruins franchise historical past again on Jan. 7, 2021.
Regardless of the apparent promotion of Bergeron as Boston’s unquestioned chief following Zdeno Chara’s departure, Don Sweeney and the Bruins opted to have enjoyable with the information by initially naming Brad Marchand as Boston’s latest captain earlier than making issues official.
Bergeron held court docket as Boston’s captain for 3 seasons, however his impression in Boston’s locker room was felt lengthy earlier than a “C” was stitched on his chest. Alongside Chara, Bergeron helped domesticate a locker-room tradition in Boston that careworn open traces of communication, mutual respect and accountability.
An unbreakable bond on and off the ice with Brad Marchand
At first look, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron’s play kinds appear to combine in addition to oil and water.
However over 14 seasons collectively, each Bergeron and Marchand grew to become almost inseparable as a possible 1-2 punch in Boston’s top-six unit.
With Marchand normally stapled to Bergeron’s left on Boston’s high line, each forwards routinely made life depressing for opponents — be it at even power, on the ability play and in shorthanded conditions.
On most PK shifts, the duo of Marchand and Bergeron turned many 4v5 conditions into puck-dominant shifts for the Bruins.
“After they retire, I’m retiring. I can’t play with out these two,” Brad Marchand joked of each Bergeron and David Krejci’s future again in April. “I actually strive not to consider that. I actually do. It’s inevitable that day goes to return. It might simply as effectively occur that when that day does come, they’re like, ‘OK, let’s do away with the outdated guys,’ and commerce me away too, proper?”
Reaching 1,000 profession factors
Bergeron checked off a number of particular person milestones over the ultimate years of his profession, together with reaching his 1,000th profession sport on Feb. 5, 2019 (scoring two targets within the course of in opposition to the Islanders).
Throughout Boston’s record-setting 2022-23 season, Bergeron grew to become simply the fourth Bruin in crew historical past to succeed in 1,000 profession factors with the Unique Six franchise.
After recording a secondary help on Brad Marchand’s second-period tally in opposition to the Lightning on Nov. 21, 2022, Bergeron was swarmed by all of his teammates, who emptied the guests bench at Amalie Area.
Bergeron was handled to a standing ovation in a street enviornment stuffed with black-and-gold sweaters.
Talking out in opposition to Miller signing
The Bruins confronted loads of deserved criticism after signing defenseman Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract again in November 2022.
Miller pleaded responsible in an Ohio juvenile court docket in 2016 on costs of assault and a violation of the Ohio Secure Colleges Act after he and a classmate have been accused of racially motivated bullying of a developmentally disabled Black classmate, Isaiah Meyer-Crothers.
Amid the quick backlash, Bergeron and different veterans in Boston’s locker room denounced Miller’s actions and his place throughout the group.
“As an individual but additionally as a crew, we stand for integrity and inclusion and variety, clearly,” Bergeron stated of the signing. “That was the very first thing that got here out of my mouth, was that it goes in opposition to what we’re as a tradition and as a crew. And for me as an individual.”
Simply two days later, the Bruins introduced that they reduce ties with Miller.
Rewriting the document books
Recurrently thought-about the best defensive ahead of his era for many of his taking part in profession, Bergeron lastly set himself aside as one of the best defensive ahead in NHL historical past after capturing a record-breaking fifth and sixth Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2022 and 2023.
Within the last two years of his Corridor-of-Fame profession, Bergeron was as stout as ever in his personal zone, with each Bruce Cassidy and Jim Montgomery frequently deploying him as an equalizer in opposition to opposing crew’s high weapons.
It feels prefer it’s solely a matter of time till that annual accolade for defensive excellence is renamed in honor of the Bruins’ pivot.
A last salute
Bergeron’s last season had the entire makings of a storybook ending, with the return of David Krejci and a surge from a variety of supporting gamers serving to Boston set NHL data for probably the most wins (65) and factors (135) in a single season.
However in crushing trend, the Bruins 2022-23 marketing campaign got here to a stunning finish within the first spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the eighth-seeded Panthers taking Sport 7 in time beyond regulation at TD Backyard on April 30, 2023.
After tearfully embracing every of his teammates earlier than they made their means off the Backyard ice, Bergeron raised his stick and saluted Bruins followers one last time.
“The superb folks of New England welcomed a younger French Canadian who didn’t converse nice English and also you handled me like one in every of your personal,” Bergeron stated in his retirement letter. “I can’t think about representing a greater group or extra passionate fan base than the Boston Bruins. Your ardour, your dedication and your kindness in direction of me and my household won’t ever be forgotten.
“Please know that each time I took the ice I attempted to compete for you the suitable means, and off the ice I attempted one of the best that I might to provide again to the group that supported me. The connections and mates that my household and I’ve made listed below are unquantifiable. Boston is, and can endlessly be, a particular place for me and my household.”
Combating by means of damage
Bergeron’s will to win and toughness exacted a heavy toll on him.
After the Bruins fell to the Blackhawks within the 2013 Stanley Cup Closing, Bergeron spent three days in a hospital. Within the last phases of that sequence, Bergeron suited up and performed by means of a damaged rib, torn rib cartilage and a separated proper shoulder. Enjoying by means of a cracked rib in Sport 6 in opposition to Chicago led to a punctured — and ultimately collapsed — lung.
“He’s an iconic participant on this franchise, [but] you wouldn’t essentially really feel it assembly him,” Adam McQuaid stated of Bergeron earlier this month. “Simply the standard means he goes about his enterprise, exhibits as much as work. … 2013, after we discovered he had a punctured lung and had all these accidents within the [Stanley Cup] Finals and performed, I keep in mind stepping into to go to him within the hospital.
“That’s one thing that stands out. What he went by means of and nobody actually — we knew he was banged up — however to not that extent. Wasn’t making an enormous scene about it, however making an attempt to quietly simply attempt to battle by means of. I believe that sums him up in plenty of methods.”
“Bergeron! Bergeron!”
Bergeron frequently thrived throughout the strain of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring 4 profession playoff time beyond regulation targets and 4 series-clinching tallies over his 15 journeys to the postseason.
He appeared in 14 Sport 7s, tied with teammate Zdeno Chara for probably the most appearances in NHL historical past. He lit the lamp six instances in these 14 contests, probably the most well-known approaching Could 13, 2013.
With Boston trailing, 4-1, in opposition to the Maple Leafs with 10:42 left in regulation, the Bruins surged again in dramatic trend, with Bergeron securing the equalizer with 50.2 seconds left on the clock.
Six minutes into time beyond regulation, Bergeron despatched Causeway Road right into a frenzy by firing dwelling the sequence winner previous a sprawled-out James Reimer.
With Boston’s 5-4 victory over Toronto, the Bruins grew to become the primary crew in NHL historical past to win a seventh-and-deciding sport after trailing by three targets within the third interval.
Lifting the Cup
In fact, the Sport 7 that outlined Bergeron’s legacy in Boston got here on June 15, 2011.
With Boston getting ready to its first Stanley Cup in 39 years, Bergeron delivered in hostile territory at Vancouver’s Rogers Area.
The Bruins middle scored two targets in Boston’s triumph, opening the floodgates with a fast strike 14:37 into the primary interval earlier than giving the Bruins a three-goal lead off a shorthanded strike late within the second interval.
“I’ll endlessly be grateful being part of such an distinctive group of males, and I’ll carry the satisfaction of successful in 2011 with me endlessly,” Bergeron stated in his retirement letter.
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