Boston Bruins: Time Is Now To Make Patrice Bergeron The Captain
Boston Bruins: Time Is Now To Make Patrice Bergeron The Captain. If the Bruins would like to get back to where they once were they may want to start with the teams leadership.
The Boston Bruins are a team looking to make changes and get back to the Stanley Cup contenders they once were. They have decided to stick with Claude Julien at the helm and have started to look into what exactly they’ll be doing personnel-wise this summer.
One thing that the organization should look into doing is changing their leadership up in terms of moving the letters around. There have been reports coming out of Los Angeles that the Kings are taking the captains ‘C’ away from Dustin Brown and move it elsewhere on the team. The move is to try and bring the most out of the team and get back to where they once were in terms of Stanley Cup contention.
The Boston Bruins should look into doing the same with Zdeno Chara. Chara has been the Bruins captain since 2006 when he signed in Boston. The team has had great success under Chara with two Stanley Cup Finals appearances (2011 Champions) and a Presidents Trophy in 2014.
The past two seasons have not been up to par for the Bruins, missing the postseason in each of the last two seasons. Things have just not felt the same in Beantown and leadership change is needed this off-season.
The player the Bruins should provide the ‘C’ to Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron is a Bruin through and
through. You’re talking about a guy who been with this team since he was 18 years old and has given everything to the team and to the city.
The veteran center has played in some of the biggest moments in Bruins history and helped end the 39 year Cup drought in 2011. He has battled through concussion issues to become a superstar in the National Hockey League, and above all else, he is a character guy.
Bergeron is not only loved in Boston, but around the league as well. Players have a lot of respect for the way he plays the game and how much of a tremendous player he is on the ice, but also how great of a person he is off of it.
Captain changes have worked well for other teams in the past. When you look at San Jose, they stripped Joe Thornton of his captaincy and it has worked out really well for both sides. Thornton has continued to be a big asset and the Sharks have found a tremendous leader in Joe Pavelski.
Some players can be the ones to turn a franchise around and Pavelski was that guy for the Sharks. Bergeron can be that guy for the Bruins. The way he plays the game is special and giving him the captaincy will make the Bruins a better team going forward.
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If Don Sweeney and the Bruins are trying to change the tides in Boston and retool this team, then changing the leadership of this team may be what he needs to do. At the age of 30 and in his prime, Bergeron, is in a perfect position to become the Bruins captain and lead this team to the promise land.