Bergy has been in 1 fight in the past decade. That part of his game was phased out early with the concussions this happened well before he started aging. Do I blame him? No, its allowed him to have a long career.
Unfortunately teams take after their leaders though and the Bruins have been a little too soft in the physicality department especially in the playoffs. Frederics been forced to tone it down, Hathaway comes here and isnt half the pest he was in washington, Marchands been forced to tone it down.
Meanwhile You have teams like florida who were very similar to the bruins current physical play style when they had huberdeau leading the team. Regular season studs who get bullied in the playoffs. All of a sudden Tkachuk comes in and its a complete culture change with many of the same players. The players rally around Tkachuk getting into scrums, bringing the physicality, mucking it up and playing a heavy game. Then look what happens to them, furthest theyve ever made it in what was considered a retool year for them.
Bergy great human being, excellent player, someone I would want my daughter to marry. Not the type of captain you want for a playoff push though.
Chara called him co-captain...... (I let you search the video they are a few - I am to lazy)
Behind the bench (I won't search to lazy)Rask and players around the table were joking and calling him the Bruins Captain.
Above video tells me alot...Respected by his teammates and opponents (see Kings respect at his 1000 games or 1000 points.
Bergeron is everything a NHL franchise is wishing to have.
He won the MVP in junior WC and won at ALL level, 5 Selke maybe 6 depending this year.
winning goal of the only (this era)SC Boston win in 2011, scoring OT, 1000 games with the same organization, 1000 points ...
Toronto 2013 rally was on Lucic, he changed the momentum...... in a team you need various type of player and leading is making everyone pull in the same direction. But when you don't have a Lucic style on your team....it is a problem imo, that is not on Bergeron. But that same game with Lucic, he scored the tying and the winning goal.
I won't go in a Chara vs Bergeron fight. I love both guys. But your assessmen is a consequence that maybe you don't know what leading is!!!