This month, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeny announced that veteran player Patrice Bergeron would be signing a new one-year contract. The contract, worth $2.5 million plus an additional $2.5 million in performance-based incentives, will keep the 37-year-old center in Boston for the 2022-23 season. As captain of the Bruins, fans will no doubt be delighted to see Bergeron signing a new contract.
Bergeron, who is one of the only 30 players who have made it into the exclusive Triple Gold Club, scored the winning goal in the 2011 Stanley Cup final. This cemented his name in history with both his club and at the international level, as the Stanley Cup was the last major trophy he was missing, having previously won gold in the World Championship and the Olympics. (If you want to know where your favourite players stand on the medal race, Bonus Finder Canada has created a searchable database).
Bergeron has now spent his entire career in the NHL playing for the Bruins, which is an impressive accomplishment. He joined the Boston team in the 2003 Entry Draft as a 45th pick in the second round. Although he was highly rated back then, few could have predicted just how important he would be for the Bruins.
How Has Bergeron Been for the Bruins?
Bergeron is the third-ranked active NHL player in terms of plus/minus (plus-254), ninth in terms of points and games played, and tenth in terms of assists and goals. In addition, the Canadian is tied for sixth among active players in postseason goals, eighth in playoff games played, and seventh in both playoff points and playoff assists. Over the course of his career, Bergeron has recorded 400 goals and 582 assists in 1,216 games.
Bergeron just finished a season in which he played in 73 games and amassed 65 points (25 goals and 40 assists). In addition, the Bruins captain contributed three goals and four assists in seven postseason games. While he’s been in Boston all his career, it was only recently that he became captain. Bergeron replaced veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara in 2021 with his experience making him an easy choice for the captaincy.
At the end of the 2021-22 season, Bergeron was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy. This is the fifth time he’s received this award, setting a record as the most Selke Trophies for any NHL player in history. The award is given annually to the forward who best exemplifies the defensive aspects of the game as evaluated by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
What are the Bruins Chances for the 2022-23 Season?
Keeping Bergeron for another season is a boost to the Bruins chances. Although he’s closing in on retirement, he’s still a key player and is coming off the back of a fantastic season. Although the Bruins were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, they have the potential to go much further this season.
Jeremy Swayman put in a solid performance in his first full season in the NHL in the 2021-22 season, and many fans predict he could become one of the best in the Conference. At only 23 years old, he certainly has a lot of potential and has already gained a lot of attention for his performance during the playoffs.
Other big performers for the Bruins in the 2022-23 season could include David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall. Pastrnak had a great chance to break the 50-goal mark in 2019-20 before the NHL shutdown and certainly has the ability to do so this season. Meanwhile, Taylor Hall will be reuniting with David Krejci on the second line once more. Together with Pastrnak, this could potentially be the best second line in the whole of the NHL and gives the Bruins a serious chance of lifting the Stanley Cup.
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