Patrice Bergeron becoming the Bruins’ next captain after Zdeno Chara’s departure was an easy choice and a foregone conclusion that finally became official on Thursday.
Bergeron has been with the Bruins since 2003 and he had been an alternate captain for the entirety of Chara’s 14-year captaincy.
That doesn’t mean it’s not a big deal, though. There have only been 19 other captains in franchise history, and taking over after the second-longest-tenured of those 19 and joining that exclusive club is no small feat.
Seven of those 19 are in the Hockey Hall of Fame and seven have their numbers hanging in the TD Garden rafters, and those numbers will only increase when Bergeron and Chara’s numbers are retired and when Bergeron, Chara and Joe Thornton all enter the Hall of Fame as well.
That history is not lost on Bergeron.
“It’s very humbling. Huge honor,” Bergeron said Thursday. “There’s been some tremendous captains and leaders on the way and some legends of the game.
And as I said it’s an absolute honor and I’m going to try to keep bettering myself and keep learning and leading by example, but also trying to be me. I think that’s all I can really do, and try to connect with my teammates. It’s an historic franchise that’s done so much, and to be a part of it and to actually be named captain is something very special.”
As for what changes besides the letter on his jersey, Bergeron said he’s not going to change who he is, and he’s not going to change much about how things are run in the locker room either, citing the culture that Chara helped build as something worth continuing and building on.
“To me, it’s to be myself,” Bergeron said. “I think leadership is all about making sure you’re able to surround yourself with great people, which I am, and also being able to connect with guys and to speak from the heart when needed, lead by example, and I don’t think I’m going to change any of that stuff. I think I’m going to try to communicate and make sure we connect as a team and we create something special moving forward.
“But with that being said, I think there’s a culture that’s been established here for many, many years, and there’s been tremendous and amazing leaders and captains over the years. And Zee obviously was one of those guys, where there’s been a culture that’s been in place, and we’re going to try to carry that on.”
Asked what he considers the most important part of a captain’s job, Bergeron circled back to communicating and connecting with his teammates and the importance of making sure everyone is on the same page and feels comfortable speaking up, whether they’re a captain or not.
“To me, it’s going back to connecting with the guys, making sure they understand and realize this is their team just as much and take ownership of that,” Bergeron said. “Everyone is important, is valued, and again, it’s all about connecting with them and making sure we’re on the same page and buying in to what we’re trying to establish. For me, it’s reaching out to guys to make sure they realize they can all take charge and be themselves and find ways to understand each other and all that stuff going forward.”