Former Bruins Patrice Bergeron II RETIRES (post 430)

[TinyRivers]

Been my fav Bruin of all time for a loooooooong time now.... gonna be tough for a new player to replace him at the top of my list.

 

[DKH]

First playoff overtime game ever played as an 18 year old against the team he grew up hating (Montreal) he scored the winning goal

.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Habs fan here to pay his respect to the classiest and arguably best rival we had in the past 15 years

He's a first ballot hhof for sure and deserves everything good happening to him

Terrible loss for the Bruins fans, and hockey fans in general; he will be miss

 

[VanIsle]

Oh Bergeron, I knew the time was coming soon, sad it is today.

Good luck in the future bud. . . .

 

[Bruinaura]

 

[Bs1011]

I think they roll this year with 4 A's and then give it to McAvoy next year. Like I said, I don't like the idea of playing hot potato with the captaincy.

Give it Marchand. A lot of people and I’m talking Bruins fans don’t like him his past antics but that guy deserves to be the captain.

 

[Bruinaura]

 

[rocketdan9]

Thank you Patrice! What an ultimate professional.

Should easily find a job in a different capacity. 1st ballot HOF.

 

[GabeTravels]

Favorite athlete ever, and I can't imagine anyone besting him.

 

[GordonHowe]

Yeah, he must be so sad, its like a divorce. He has been his side kick on his line for the most of his career. That cant be easy to adjust to.

Take a look at the video tribute from his teammates.

Beginning with Charlie McAvoy, through David Krejci, to Brad.

Tell me what you see.

 

[Camille the Eel]

He enters the pantheon as one of the all time Bruins alongside Orr, Espo, Bucyk etc. in a way that I think nobody from his era except maybe Chara will. A great player who has left his mark on an era here. The Bergeron era.

 

[GordonHowe]

nope...too soon

Brad wears the C until he too, is gone.

Then, and only then, will it be appropriate for Charlie to don it.

I'm guessing neither McAvoy or anyone else has a problem with that.

 

[Mad Dr Pepper]

Favorite athlete ever, and I can't imagine anyone besting him.

Same.

I don't know how it would be possible.

 

[PetePeeters1]

One of the greatest.
It's as simple as that.
I am thankful having been able to follow your career as a player.
i hope to see you again as a member of the Bruins Club Directory.

 

[Sheppy]

Give it Marchand. A lot of people and I’m talking Bruins fans don’t like him his past antics but that guy deserves to be the captain.

Again, do you go from Chara to Bergeron to Marchand to McAvoy in like a 5 year span? I doubt it. I highly doubt they'll have a captain going into this season. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[GordonHowe]

And the encomiums roll in.

Of course they do.

It's lovely to see and says all you need know about the high regard both teammates and opponents have for Bergeron.

As KPD wrote, Patrice reminds of no one so much as the great Jean Beliveau.

Universally respected, admired and beloved.

It couldn't happen to a better person.

 

[rfournier103]

Patrice Bergeron was my favorite Bruin of all time. CLUTCH player who got big goals when it counted.

I never thought anyone would overtake Ray Bourque as my favorite Bruin, but Bergeron did.

I think he was somewhat overshadowed by international megastars David Ortiz and Tom Brady in the ‘national’ media, but we Bruins/hockey fans are fortunate enough to realize just how blessed we were to have him here.

I will always appreciate him.

 

[774EVER]

I watched my first and only game in Boston about a week after Joe Thornton was traded. Still beyond devastated, I didn’t even want to go - my wife had bought the tickets months prior.

Not wanting to disappoint my wife, we went to Boston. Having let my bitterness get to me, I was expecting to not enjoy the game. However, there was one player on the ice that kept catching my eye.

Three assists later (and a Win for the B's), 18 year old Patrice Bergeron had me thinking hmmm, maybe the B’s would be all right.

By the end of the game I felt a calmness because of #37. This was the same calmness I felt watching Patrice each and every game. There was truly no other player I’d want out there, no matter the situation.

Beyond a legend.

I am forever grateful to have been able to watch Patrice Bergeron’s greatness for the last 20 years.

374EVER

 

[Bruinaura]

I am in no way, shape, or form prepared to watch Bergeron or anybody else cry tomorrow.

Nope.

 

[wintersej]

Still in shock.

 

[Montecristo]

Good bruin. Top 5 all time.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

You know what sets Bergy apart from the rest of his contemporary Boston legends? He was always present in the community. Brady was the best football player in the world, but did he ever f***ing do anything locally? He probably lived in a gated off mansion and only did big money shit in NYC. Ortiz was more active here and loves Boston, but his interests were national as well. The Celtics guys all came and went like mercenaries. But Bergy never had pretentions to be a national star, he wanted to be a Boston player for life.

Same goes for Chara, who's retired and still present and active in the Boston community. Hockey guys just get how to really buy into and support their local communities better than those from other sports. Every now and then you'll get an athlete from baseball or basketball or whatever who really goes above and beyond, but helping out at the grass roots just comes more naturally to hockey players. I think it speaks to the way they develop and rise through the ranks as athletes, usually with a lot of help, and the fact that while they are definitely well paid, their earnings don't put them completely in some otherworldly category totally divorced from the average person in the street.

Bergy exemplified this attitude of service and giving back. I don't really have any other words on his retirement at this point. As Krejci said in the video, there's too much to say. A great player, an even better person, none have ever made you prouder to pull on the black and gold. Thanks Patrice.

 

[shelbysdad]

None of us know the reasons (new baby, father health, his health) which all could be a factor

It's a shame the greatest and classiest captain in Bruins history couldn't be the captain in the 100th year of the storied franchise

 

[Spooner st]

The end of an era. Who would of thought when you got drafted you would achieved everything you did. That's just mind boggling. Good Luck on the next chapter's.

 

[Ladyfan]

From our next captain...