It doesn’t look like Patrice Bergeron is ready to close the book on his Hall-of-Fame career quite yet.
According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette's Joe McDonald, Bergeron has decided to return to the Bruins for what will likely be a one-year deal — with the 36-year-old pivot on tap to return for his 19th season in a black-and-gold sweater.
Since Bergeron first announced back in September 2021 that he was keeping an open mind regarding his future upon entering the final year of his eight-year, $55 million contract, the two-way forward’s decision has loomed over the Bruins — with a potential retirement spelling doom for a franchise that has failed to groom/develop/acquire a suitable replacement down the middle in anticipation of such a seismic sea change.
Despite some of the ominous comments in the immediate aftermath of Boston’s season-ending loss to Carolina back in May, there was some hope that Bergeron was potentially bracing for one more kick at the can after he announced that he underwent elbow surgery earlier this month to repair a torn tendon — a procedure that would have him cleared in time for training camp.
In his last comments to the media after winning a record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy, Bergeron noted that he had still not made a decision — acknowledging the primary factors influencing the crossroads he found himself in had more to do with family than his own game or health.
“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.”
Of course, if Bergeron did opt to hang up his skates this summer, it wasn’t because his game slipped in the slightest in 2021-22.
Along with scoring 25 goals and 65 points over 73 games this past season (he’s also just 18 points away from 1,000 in his lauded career), Bergeron casually put forth a defensive season for the ages en route to that fifth Selke — and it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if the forward can continue to serve as a capable 1C for at least one more season.
The Bruins will certainly be breathing a massive sigh of relief if Bergeron does indeed ink a new contract in the next few weeks. At the very least, his return delays the impending doom and gloom that awaits when Boston can no longer turn to their top man in the middle.
That being said, Bergeron’s decision only further stresses the need for the Bruins to be bold this summer if they are indeed looking at more of “run it back” mentality (or even an aggressive retool) — as opposed to a sizable rebuild.
It’s a task easier said than done.
Not only will the Bruins need to pull off some cap gymnastics and clear a few contracts to accommodate Bergeron’s potential new deal (just $2.3 million in cap space for Boston, per CapFriendly), but it’s been clear for some time that this team needs to make some serious upgrades if it wants to actually put itself in a position to contend in 2022-23.
Whether that be prowling the market for another top-six center (does anyone have No. 46’s number?), adding some scoring punch or hoping that an influx of youngsters like Fabian Lysell can start making some contributions, the Bruins have a lot of work to do this summer — because bringing back a 36-year-old center (going on 37) at the top of a rather flawed roster isn’t going to be enough.
Also, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk are all going to be out for a couple of months in October and November.
“I think it’s one of those things where you have to ride the wave,” Bergeron said of Boston’s extensive list of offseason surgeries. “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.”
Bergeron’s reported return gives the Bruins plenty in a short span of time. It gives some B’s fans hope ahead of what was looking like a dreary offseason. It gives Don Sweeney and Co. more time to try and scour the rest of the league for a legitimate successor in 2023-24.
And for all involved, it gives the Bruins a tangible answer as to what path this team wants to take this upcoming season.
If Bergeron signs at the dotted line, Boston is indeed looking to orchestrate at least one more run. And if that’s the case — man, does this franchise have its work cut out for it.
