Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement today, and it goes without saying that we're seeing one of the best players of any era hang up his skates after 19 seasons of touring NHL cities. While people will point to how the likes of Gretzky, Orr, Howe, and Lemieux changed how the game was played in some regards, I don't know if we'll ever see another forward who is so good at both ends of the ice like Bergeron was. He won every tournament in which he played internationally, he is a Stanley Cup champion, and he's been recognized for his commitment to defensive play with six Selke trophies on his mantle. He'll be a first-ballot Hall of Fame player when he becomes eligible for inclusion into the Hall, but it got me thinking about all the different jerseys Bergeron has worn over the years. For a player who played for one team over two decades, the number of jerseys he wore is quite impressive.
I'm less concerned with his junior career, but it should be noted that he skated for the QMJHL's Acadia-Bathurst Titan before hitting the professional ranks. He played just 74 games in the QMJHL, but he was impressive in his short stint there as he scored 23 goals and 51 assists in those games before the Boston Bruins drafted him 45th-overall in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The only players who played more games than him in the 44 picks before him were Dustin Brown, Ryan Suter, and Eric Staal, and only Staal has more points. Needless to say, Boston got themselves a gem with their second pick in the 2003 draft after they chose Mark Stuart.
Bergeron didn't start in the AHL, but he did play there during the 2004-05 season while the NHL lockout was on. Bergeron had himself a solid season with the Providence Bruins as he scored 21 goals and 40 assists in the 68 AHL games he played in his career. He was named to the AHL All-Star Game, and helped the Bruins reach the AHL Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Philadelphia Phantoms. In 16 AHL playoff games, he scored five goals and 12 points.
Bergeron was also around for the 2012-13 lockout, but he took his skills to the Swiss Alps where he suited up with Lugano for 21 games! I'm not saying that Bergeron was too good for the Swiss League, but his 11 goals and 18 assists were proof that he was one of the better players in the league for his short time in Switzerland. Despite playing in less than half the games, Bergeron still finished fifth in scoring for Lugano, eight points back of second-place and former NHLer Brett McLean who played 50 games!
I don't think anyone ever questioned the leadership that Bergeron showed over his career in Bruins' colours, but he did wear both letters in his time with the black-and-gold. With Zdeno Chara in the lineup, Bergeron was awarded the alternate captaincy in 2006-07 for the first time, and he sported the "A" until 2020-21 when he was awarded the captaincy. For those who may be wondering, Joe Thornton was the captain of the Bruins when Bergeron broke into the league in 2003-04, so Bergeron has only played alongside two captains in his career before assuming the role! The various players with whom he shared the alternate captaincy role included Glen Murray, Aaron Ward, Mark Recchi, Andrew Ference, Chris Kelly, David Krejci, David Backes, and Brad Marchand. That's a solid list of co-captains!
Of course, he was a regular representative in Canada's colours as well, and he still holds the distinction of being the only player to have won an IIHF World Championship gold medal, won in 2004, before winning a IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal which he won in 2005! The only colour of medal he knows from international play is gold - he has never brought home a silver or a bronze medal in any international event. That includes a 2010 Olympic gold medal, a 2012 Spengler Cup, a 2014 Olympic gold medal, and a 2016 World Cup of Hockey gold medal.
He's a member of the Triple Gold club with the Stanley Cup championship that the Bruins won in 2011, but he's also so much more. How many other players can claim a Stanley Cup, a Spengler Cup, an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and a World Junior Championship gold medal on their resumés? That answer is none as the opportunity to play for a Spengler Cup and Olympic medals hasn't been an option for NHL players of today's era.
When I say that there won't be another player like Bergeron possibly ever, it would seem that seeing another playr do what he's done would require elite skill and a touch of poor management. The elite skill is easy to define: six Selke Trophy wins, a record 12-straight finalist nominations, an armful of international medals and championships, and a Stanley Cup championship. Great players get the opportunity to do those things, but there have only been a select few to win a Spengler Cup in the modern era which makes any player's chances of equalling Bergeron's success much harder to do. Let's not forget that it took a lockout for Bergeron to accomplish that feat, and the hope is that the NHL won't need to shut down in the future if there are labour negotiations to be had.
Based on how Bergeron redefined the defensive forward aspect of the game, I'd be willing to table a discussion on him getting the three-year period before induction waived, but I don't sit on the Hall of Fame committee. His body of work is literally unlike any other player's, though, and that's why he'll be a first-ballot Hall of Fame player when he is inducted.
The Bruins lost a player today that they may never find again, but hockey lost the same thing. While it was truly an honour to witness Patrice Bergeron's exceptional career, he will be missed on the ice. His retirement is well-earned after two decades of wowing us with his skills and abilities, though, so enjoy retirement, Patrice, and we'll see you at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony when, not if, they call your name as that honour has been earned!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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