BOSTON | Patrice Bergeron will always remain a strong image of the Bruins. Like Raymond Bourque before him, he has this logo tattooed on his heart. But unlike Bourque, number 37 would like to wear just one jersey during his career.
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The Bruins’ first-round pick in 1979, Bourque played in Boston until the end of the 1999-2000 season. Harry Sinden had done him a favor when he traded him to the Colorado Avalanche in his 21st NHL campaign. A year later, Bourque made his dream come true by lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time with Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg of the Avalanche. It was in June 2001. Shortly after, the number 77 could retire as champion.
At 36, Bergeron finds himself in a different context. He already has a Stanley Cup ring in 2011 with the Bruins. He reached the final twice in 2013 and 2019, but lost to the Blackhawks and Blues.
In terms of hockey, he won everything. He also has two Olympic gold medals with the Canadian team in 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi. And he will most likely participate a third time in a few weeks in Beijing.
Captain of the Bruins since the departure of Zdeno Chara before the start of the 2020-2021 season, Bergeron is currently playing the last year of a long eight-year contract that brings him an average of 6.875 million.
Not a distraction
In Boston, Bergeron’s contractual situation does not make headlines on a weekly basis even though it is one of the biggest hockey markets in the United States.
In a hallway of the Warrior Ice Arena, the Bruins’ training complex, Bergeron calmly discussed his future with the Journal rep.
“No, it’s not a distraction,” said Bergeron. I stay in the present moment. It’s a decision I made. I want to play this year and focus on the team, not my contractual situation. I want to build a special chemistry with this group of players. The ultimate goal is always to win the Stanley Cup. But there is always a long road to get there. “
“I just want to enjoy this season without asking myself too many questions. I take it one day at a time. I will think about my contract this summer. “
Bergeron does not hide it. He would like to follow in the footsteps of Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Joe Sakic, Shane Doan, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, all players who have played for one organization in the NHL.
“Yes, that’s what I would like,” he replied. There has always been a great respect between the Bruins and me. I have always felt good with this team. I liked the various negotiations with the Bruins. The Bruins drafted me, they trusted me from the start. And I have always trusted this team by always wanting to stay here. I sincerely believe that this loyalty is reciprocal. This is the way I see it. “
Loyalty. It’s still a rare phenomenon in the NHL and even more so in a reality with a salary cap. But this desire for fidelity can also be read on the lips of Bruce Cassidy.
“I’m not the Bruins GM,” Cassidy said when asked if he imagines Bergeron as a member of this team for life. I do not participate in discussions for contracts. But I would like to see him be a Bruins for the rest of his life. When it’s time to talk about it, I’ll have a good conversation with Donny (Don Sweeney). We talk to each other every day about our players and our plans for the future with the team. We always dissect our training. I know Don will eventually ask me for my opinion. But yes, I would like to see Patrice in Boston until the end of his career. “
Soon 1200 matches
With the Canadian’s visit to TD Garden, Bergeron will play the 1156th game of his career. By the end of the year, he will have already taken part in more than 1,200 matches on condition that injuries are avoided.
“The only reason I still want to play is that I still want to feel the flame in me,” he said. And it is still very present. I also want to have a chance to win. This is also the case with the Bruins. “
The flame is still burning. And the talent also remains present. Despite his age, he is still producing at a rate of just over a point per game (13 points in 12 games) and he is at the top of the NHL in faceoffs at 64.0%.