Boston Bruins: The season of Patrice Bergeron.
Mar 29, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Boston Bruins forward
Patrice Bergeron(37) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Boston Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory
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: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Once upon a time, Shawn Thornton called Patrice Bergeron “The heart and soul of the Bruins”. Shawn Thornton got it completely right. Bergeron will (short of some bizarre disaster) will spend his entire professional career in the Black and Gold. He’s been an outstanding player, an ambassador for his sport, and one of the few players in the entire league that no one has anything bad to say about.
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Bergeron has spent eleven years in Boston (and the 2004-05 lockout year playing for Providence). He’s worked his up the ranks to be the number two man on the team (and the captaincy is all but his once Zdeno Chara leaves Boston). He’s the kind of player that makes his linemates better, and a man that can inspire his team to do anything. He even got every last member of the B’s to shave their head this year for charity.
Bergeron led the team this year in overall points with fifty-five. He was second in goals with twenty-three (one behind Brad Marchand, and his sixth season with 20-plus goals) and tied for overall assists with thirty-two (with Dougie Hamilton). He was the only fifty plus point scorer this season. He also set a personal record for the amount of penalty minutes earned in one season (44). While that is excessive for #37, you have to admit that can equal a bad night by Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic combined.
He also led the team with shots on goal (234).
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Patrice Bergeron became the leader of the Bruins this season. With Zdeno Chara out for an extended period of time with injuries, the Bruins alternate captain stepped up to be the unofficial ‘C’ for Boston. He was the player that set the tone, and made the best of a rather rough situation for the B’s.
While the Bruins failed to make the playoffs this year, Bergeron was the best player on the ice for the team. The Bergeron line became the top line in Boston, and remained there throughout the season. Bergeron’s demeanor never waivered and he led with a quiet strength that other captains in the league don’t have. The twenty-nine year old forward kept the Bruins in contention, and even though they didn’t make it, he was once again nominated for the Selke. (Which he can likely win again.)
Bergeron will be back next season, and he’ll lead the team back to the playoffs next season.