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On the heels of Saturday’s season-ending loss to the Hurricanes, Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron again addressed the possibility of retirement with his 18th campaign now in the books.
Bergeron, 36, said throughout the season he intended to discuss his future when Boston’s year officially concluded, an outcome that came to pass in the first round of the playoffs following a hard-fought series versus Carolina. But, as the harsh reality of falling in Game 7 continued to sink in after the game, Bergeron, who turns 37 in July, told reporters he is still not ready to elaborate on his plans.
“It’s too early right now,” he said when asked about his future, per NBC Sports Boston. “Not after—it’s too fresh right now. It still stings, obviously, from a hard-fought series. Came up short. Obviously, I’m going to have to think about it, but I’m not there right now.”
While Bergeron maintained he is still unclear about which direction he intends to go, his actions at the end of the Bruins’ loss seemed to indicate a possible farewell. The Boston Sports Journal shared a video of Bergeron hugging each of his teammates as they made their way off the ice for one last time in Raleigh; the 2003 draft pick finished the series against Carolina with seven points (three goals, four assists).
If Saturday is indeed the last time Bergeron suits up for Boston, his decorated resumé would immediately place him in the conversation as one of the greatest Bruins of all-time. His 1,216 games rank third in franchise history while his 400 goals, 582 assists and 982 points all rank fourth.
A three-time All-Star and four-time Selke Trophy winner, Bergeron has been instrumental to the Bruins’ success during his nearly two-decade run in Beantown. He notably played a key role in Boston’s Stanley Cup run in 2011, famously scoring two goals (including the game/series winner) in Game 7 against Vancouver.
