A prospective owner of a Quebec City NHL club likely would be eager to bring Bergeron aboard as the face of the franchise — be it as team president or other key front office position.
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QUEBEC CITY — Former Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, proud son of this charming city along the St. Lawrence River,
was honored in a ceremony at Videotron Centre, and then he dropped the puck for a
4-1 exhibition loss to the Kings.
Bergeron, 39 and as trim and fit as during his playing days, met around 5:30 p.m. for a few minutes with media, and said he would consider being part of an NHL team here if the league ever considered putting a stake back in the ground with a second franchise in the Quebec province.
The Nordiques, one of the four WHA teams that merged with the NHL in 1979, departed for Denver in the summer of 1995.
“Making a comeback?” a smiling Bergeron said, after a Boston reporter framed the question by kiddingly asking if he might suit up as a center, or even goalie. “I don’t know, uh, it’s a good question. It’s something you’d definitely consider — you know, I was a big fan growing up and it would definitely be special.”
Bergeron was treated to a pregame video tribute, including appearances by former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara and frequent Team Canada linemate Sidney Crosby. Bergeron also was presented with a large oil painting, the center of which portrayed him hoisting the Stanley Cup when the Bruins last won the title in 2011.
A prospective owner of a Quebec City NHL club likely would be eager to bring Bergeron aboard as the face of the franchise — be it as team president or other key front office position. He would be a strong fit for myriad roles, including the most vital, identifying and developing player talent.
“That being said,” continued Bergeron, reflecting on his Boston roots and the scope of his two-decade playing career, “I’ve been part of [the Bruins] organization for 20 years, which has a big place in my heart, as well. I don’t know what the real answer is to that [Quebec question], but it’s definitely something I would consider.”
Now a year-plus since announcing his retirement, Bergeron said he has been busily engaged in being a father, and noted his wife is back in school. All of that has mitigated the itch, he said, of perhaps returning to the everyday work force.
“You know, I miss the game, obviously,” he said, after flying here on the Bruins’ charter. “Hockey is a passion, it’s something that I’ll always love, enjoy watching it, enjoy talking about it. So, you know, obviously down the road there’s a chance I’d like to be involved again somewhere, somehow in the game. But as of right now I’m happy, I’m in a good place, and it’s good for me to really step back and think about what I want to do and also spend time catching up with the family.”
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in the days around Bergeron’s retirement announcement that he would be eager to have him return one day.
“We talk,” said Bergeron, acknowledging Sweeney’s open-door invite. “Every time they call, and there’s questions or whatnot I am happy to answer. As I said, I really enjoy talking hockey and the organization is dear to my heart. Questions here and there. Phone calls here and there. But nothing specific. And respectfully, I think they understand right now I am with the family.”