When one takes home any individual accolade — especially one that might officially coronate you as the best defensive forward in league history — it’s only natural to reflect on one’s career and both the choices and individuals that helped carry you to that moment.
It’s an exercise that’s even more pertinent for Patrice Bergeron, with the Bruins’ captain still in neutral and sitting at a franchise-shifting crossroad between returning to Boston for a 19th season or capping off a Hall-of-Fame career.
“It’s definitely an honor. I’m definitely humbled, is the first word that comes to mind,” Bergeron said Sunday afternoon after taking home his record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy. “It is an individual award, but obviously you can’t get any of those without the help of all of your teammates. I’ve said that in my acceptance speeches, that there are so many people to thank. They’re the reason why. I’ve been fortunate enough to play on great teams and to win five Selkes. It goes to them, obviously. As I said, it’s humbling. Really it’s the only word I have.”
Sunday’s Zoom session might have presented plenty of contemplative musings for Bergeron in the immediate aftermath of another landmark accomplishment — but another Selke wasn't going to prompt Bergeron to announce any decision regarding his future plans.
“I’ve said that I needed time, and I still think I have a lot of time in front of me to make that decision,” Bergeron said. “I want to make sure that I take all that time that I need to make the right one. That’s it. Right now, I haven’t really had time. It doesn’t really change anything, though.”
Of course, if one was to try and read the tea leaves, the recent news surrounding the Bruins and the number of franchise cogs expected to miss the start of the 2022-23 season likely craft a narrative of Bergeron donning the black-and-gold sweater once again — not if this team is going to be treading water in the standings.
Granted, it was expected going into this summer that Bergeron was going to need to do plenty of soul-searching before making a call on playing next season. But when you factor in that the Bruins are going to have to trudge through the first few months of a new campaign without Brad Marchand (hip surgery), Charlie McAvoy (shoulder surgery) and Matt Grzelcyk (shoulder surgery), this isn’t exactly a roster primed to contend — at least not without a second-half surge or some seismic offseason changes.
But despite the rather bleak outlook for the remainder of the roster, Bergeron stressed that Boston’s current injury woes haven’t impacted his thinking on playing in 2022-23.
“I think it’s one of those things where you have to ride the wave,” Bergeron said. “It comes down to another challenge. I think this organization and this team have seen many challenges the past whatever years, even decades. For me, it’s one of those things where it is what it is.
“There’s been many years where there’s been a lot of doubts and question marks around the Boston Bruins and how the team’s gonna look and what’s coming. I think those things are handled in time. That’s how I see it. Those are great players that are gonna be back. It’s not like they’re gonna miss the whole year.”
You can add Bergeron to the extensive list of B’s regulars who have gone under the knife already this summer, with the center confirming that he underwent elbow surgery this past Tuesday in order to repair a torn tendon.
Looks like Patrice Bergeron also had a procedure done.
— matt porter (@mattyports) June 5, 2022
Showed up to MMA event in Plymouth last night wearing a brace on his left arm.
🎥: IG/cagetitans pic.twitter.com/qzt7XghWWi
Bergeron noted that the procedure carries about a 10-12 week recovery timeline. So if Bergeron does indeed return for 2022-23, he would not miss the start of the regular season.
Bergeron hasn’t given any indication regarding his next steps, but the center was candid when asked why he currently needs time to process whether or not he wants to play beyond 2021-22.
His game certainly isn’t slipping, nor is he staring at a sizable rehab from a season-ending ailment (even though his body has certainly taken a beating over his lauded career).
No, for Bergeron — this current crossroads is a direct result of factors beyond just hockey.
“It’s the fact that my whole career, I’ve had contract extensions or long-term contracts. I would head into the summers with that in the back of my mind, that I would know what I was doing next year and all that stuff,” Bergeron said. “Now I’m 36 and I don’t have a contract, and I can actually take a step back for the first time in my career, the first time in my life, that I can just reflect on what I do want looking forward, for the future. Talk with my family, my wife.
“It’s just more that, the fact that I have the opportunity to do that and just take a step back and take some time for myself and really know what I want. I don’t think we have to look further than that, to be honest with you. That’s the only reason.”