Now that the Bruins’ season is over thanks to a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Saturday’s Game 7, the biggest question facing the team this offseason is whether Patrice Bergeron will return for a 19th season.
After the game, Bergeron was asked if he’s given much thought to what comes next for him.
“No, it’s too early right now,” Bergeron said. “Not after… it’s too fresh right now. It still stings obviously from a hard-fought series. Came up short. Obviously I’m gonna have to think about it, but I’m not there right now.”
The 36-year-old captain does not have a contract for next season, having made it clear from the start of this season that he did not intend to make any decisions until it was over.
After the Bruins and Hurricanes went through the traditional end-of-series handshake line, Bergeron stood by the exit off the ice and hugged every one of his teammates before leaving the ice himself. That wasn’t unusual for Bergeron, but it was certainly emotional.
“It was more to share with them, thanking them for battling every day, basically,” Bergeron said of that moment. “It stings. It’s not the feeling that you want, but that being said, we did it together.”
Bergeron acknowledged that these season-ending losses hurt more the older he gets.
“Of course. Yeah, they do,” he said.
Bergeron’s coaches and teammates obviously hope he returns, but said that he deserves the time and space to make whatever decision he thinks is best.
“I have no idea. I’m not the guy to answer that,” Bruce Cassidy said when asked if he has any idea if this is the end for Bergeron. “I hope not. He means so much to this franchise. We all want him back, but only he can answer that. I have no inkling. I have not addressed it with him. It’s not my place in the middle of the season. He’ll make that decision going forward.”
Longtime linemate and friend Brad Marchand was clearly emotional at the podium when asked about Bergeron.
“He’s the backbone of our team,” Marchand said. “Obviously the biggest part of our team. Obviously we want him to come back. Whatever happens, he’s earned the right to make whatever decision he wants and take the time that he needs. I guess time will tell.”
Marchand said he and Bergeron didn’t talk about his future much during the season.
“Yeah, that’s a personal thing that him and his family are gonna decide,” he said. “Obviously I’ve pushed my case on him to come back. If he ever wanted to open up and talk about it, that’s up to him, but I wasn’t gonna press him.”