The Boston Bruins are doing very well without Patrice Bergeron, but Brad Marchand would like to see his old accomplice back on the ice.
It would be surprising to see the Quebecer back in the National Hockey League, at least as a player, since he seems to have thought about his decision for a long time last summer. Bergeron ended his career after 19 campaigns, and even if he sometimes misses hockey, he believes he made the right decision, he explained in November to NHL.com.
“Bergy [Bergeron], I think he’s annoyed by how many times I push him to come back. He’s excited about what’s coming, so I’m trying not to be too hard on him,” Marchand said Thursday, he who was invited to the popular Pat McAfee Show.
Don’t think the two men have stopped communicating even though they are no longer teammates. Marchand is Bergeron’s successor as captain of the Bruins, and he listened carefully to his friend’s advice.
“I talk to him about it all the time. Raymond Bourque contacted me several times too. The guys who came through there left quite a legacy. They still want to help the team and that makes them proud,” explained the 35-year-old.
“It’s a lot of pressure to follow a guy like Bergy,” Marchand continued. Not just Bergy, but also Z [Zdeno Chara] before him. These two guys have been two of the best captains, not only for our team, but in the history of this sport. Filling those shoes was stressful.”
Marchand must be doing pretty well with the “C” sewn on his jersey, since the Bruins are atop the Atlantic Division heading into the mid-season. The left winger, meanwhile, had 33 points in 36 games before Thursday night’s game.