Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron is the player of the decade

When we look past on the past decade for the Boston Bruins, one player stands out: Patrice Bergeron.

The Boston Bruins hope to celebrate New Year’s Eve early on Tuesday afternoon against the New Jersey Devils. This game marks the end of the decade, so we can’t help but reminisce on the past 10 years for the Bruins.

The Bruins enjoyed quite the run of success in this most recent decade. Eight playoff appearances, three trips to the Final, and one Stanley Cup are the highlights. Boston also played in three Winter Classics and featured multiple trophy-winners.

When we look back on everything, one player stands out among the rest: Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron goes down as the Bruins’ player of the decade.

Bergeron cemented himself as a Bruins legend with playoff performances

If there’s one way to describe Bergeron’s decade, it’s this: he cemented himself as a Bruins legend.

When the decade started, Bergeron was 23 and only a few years removed from a devastating concussion. He missed 72 games in the 2007-2008 season, and although he came back the next year, he still needed to find his game.

By the start of 2010, after almost two years back on the ice, Bergeron once again looked like a franchise player. The Bruins hoped to build a championship team around him and Zdeno Chara.

This instantly paid off, as Bergeron stepped up and became the centerpiece of a Stanley Cup contender. He grew into one of the league’s top all-around players, and he always saved his best for the playoffs.

We all remember the 2011 playoff run that ended with a Stanley Cup. Bergeron had 20 points in 23 games, on top of elite defensive play night in and night out.

The most memorable moments were his goals in Game 7 against the Canucks. He scored two goals, including the eventual game-winner in the first period.

Bergeron also had some incredible performances in later playoff runs. He led the Bruins to two more Final appearances, and although both ended in losses, nobody can question Bergeron’s success and commitment. Remember when he played against Chicago with a collapsed lung?

And we can’t forget that Bergeron scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the 2013 Game 7 comeback against the Maple Leafs.

Bergeron’s playoff performances transformed him from a potential franchise player to a Bruins legend. He’ll forever be one of the most successful players to ever wear the Black and Gold.