It appears Patrice Bergeron is not ready to call it a career just yet. According to Joe McDonald of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Bergeron has decided to return to the Bruins for a 19th season.
McDonald adds that it will likely be a one-year deal for Bergeron.
Patrice Bergeron is reportedly back!
Bergeron entered the offseason without a contract for next season after opting not to sign an extension during this past season. He had said he wanted to see how he felt after the season before making any sort of decision on his future.
Bergeron, who will turn 37 in July, showed virtually no signs of decline this past season. He won a record fifth Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in a runaway vote and tied for seventh among centers in All-Star Team voting. His 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) were the fifth-highest total of his career.
Bergeron underwent surgery on May 31 to repair a tendon in his left elbow, an issue he had been dealing with for a couple years. Bergeron said it was about a 10-week recovery, so he should be cleared to return in plenty of time for training camp and preseason.
In an offseason that has already featured key decisions like extending general manager Don Sweeney and firing coach Bruce Cassidy, Bergeron’s decision loomed as the biggest in terms of the immediate future of the franchise.
Bergeron retiring likely would have triggered a retooling/transition period, and perhaps even a larger rebuild. His return could push that off for another year and put Sweeney in a position to try to contend for another year.
The Bruins certainly still have work to do either way, but Bergeron’s return settles their biggest question of the offseason.
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