Boston Bruins Season Preview 2015-16: Patrice Bergeron

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The NHL regular season is finally underway! After months of waiting, hockey fans everywhere can finally enjoy their favorite teams taking to the ice in hopes of making the playoffs and meeting their ultimate goal: hoisting the Stanley Cup high over their heads! The Boston Bruins underwent a very crucial retool during the offseason and will look to return to the postseason just one year after missing it for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Each player will have to pull their weight to succeed, and this series of articles will provide a prediction of how each player will do in the 2015-16 season.

The obvious first player to preview is Patrice Bergeron

Having been the heart-and-soul leader of the Bruins for roughly a decade, Patrice Bergeron is one of the most important pieces on the Bruins roster. As the top center on the Bruins depth chart, Bergeron is tasked with the toughest minutes of any Bruins forward, being utilized at even strength, on the power play, and his forté, the penalty kill. Bergeron has been the go-to player for the Bruins when attempting to shutdown some of the most prolific scorers on opposing offenses, and Bergeron has always stepped up to the task. It’s hard to remember any situation in which Bergeron can be blamed for a goal in his thirteen year career, and that’s not a coincidence either.

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At thirty years old, Bergeron still has a lot of good hockey left in him, even after suffering some serious concussion issues earlier in his career. Bergeron is coming off of his second-straight Selke Trophy win, and has won three in the last four seasons. One of the biggest contributors in his Selke success is the fact that he leads the league in faceoffs taken, faceoffs won, and faceoff percentage virtually every season. Bergeron is much more than just a faceoff machine, however, as he can be seen as an extra defenseman on the ice most games, excelling very well in all situations. Bergeron should continue to be a faceoff and defensive phenom this season, making him the favorite once again to win the Selke trophy. With the Bruins current defensive lineup, Bergeron will once again be tasked with back-checking efficiently, making the job of the younger defenders as well as Tuukka Rask infinitely easier. While his defensive game is important, Bergeron is so much more than just a defensive forward, and can even be considered the prototype for what a two-way forward should be.

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The most impressive thing about Patrice Bergeron isn’t simply his defensive prowess, but also his ability to create offense almost every time he steps on the ice. a two-time 30 goal scorer, and a virtual lock for 20-plus goals each year, Bergeron is one of the most underrated and valuable players in the entire NHL. Bergeron is coming off of a season in which he scored 23 goals and added 32 assists for a total of 55 points in 81 games. Bergeron’s most recent 30 goal season came just two seasons ago, when he tied for the team-lead in goals with Jarome Iginla. Bergeron consistently provides offense, and with that in mind, it isn’t out of the question to expect around 25 goals this season while also adding 35 assists, leading to his fifth season with 60 or more points. Luckily for Bergeron, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney retooled the Bruins offense, and while some big offensive contributors like Milan Lucic, Dougie Hamilton, Reilly Smith, and Carl Soderberg won’t be returning, the Bruins do have some new pieces to work with. Ryan Spooner will be given his first full-season in the NHL along with David Pastrnak, and they will be joined with new-comers Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, Matt Irwin, and even Brett Connolly who could be the Bruins most dangerous goal-scorer this year if he lives up to his scouting reports that led to him being drafted 6th overall, only four spots below Tyler Seguin.

To recap:

1. Bergeron will win the Selke Trophy this season

2. Bergeron will score 25 goals

3. Bergeron will assist on 35 goals

Follow Brandon Share-Cohen on Twitter @BShareCohen to discuss all things Bruins and sports

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