Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron ranked 7th best center

Boston Bruins first-line center Patrice Bergeron was ranked in the Top 20 for NHL centers by the NHL Network.

On the same week where the NHL revealed their reverse retro jerseys, the NHL Network announced their Top 20 centers. One week after the Boston Bruins had their two first-line wings ranked in the Top 20, they had their first-line center Patrice Bergeron ranked No. 7 in the latest list.

A future Hall of Famer, Bergeron at 35 years old had his third consecutive 30-goal season last year with 31, which included five game-winning tallies. He quietly had 25 assists on the first line with right wing David Pastrnak, ranked No. 2 last week on the Top 20 wing list, and left wing Brad Marchand, who was rank No. 6.

Bergeron has the luxury of playing alongside Pastrnak, who tied Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals with 48 goals in 2019-20, and Marchand who had 59 assists, five short of his career-high of 64 he had in 2018-19. The trio is one of the best, if not the best, line in the league. They also make up the top line on the second-ranked power play unit last season. Bergeron had 11 goals and nine assists with the man advantage in 2019-20.

Ahead of Bergy on the list in order beginning at No. 1 is Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres.

Bergeron is a four-time Selke Trophy winner, joining Hall of Famer Bob Gainey as the only other center to win the top defensive forward award. Last season, he finished second this season to Sean Couturier of the Philadelphia Flyers and Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues was third. Couturier finished 18th on the list of centers and O’Reilly was 15th behind Bergy.

In his 16 years with the Bruins, Bergeron has 1,089 regular-season games under his belt with 352 goals and 517 assists. In 149 playoff games, he has 49 goals and 69 assists. His best postseason was in 2011 when he had six goals and 14 assists in 23 games as the Bruins lifted the Stanley Cup after beating the Vancouver Canucks in seven games.

Bergeron is the Bruins’ top center and most respected person in the locker room and one the ice. With Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak all ranking in the Top 10 for their position, Bruins fans are lucky to be able to watch them play on a nightly basis.