Here’s the latest on Patrice Bergeron and the Bruins
Patrice Bergeron appears to be coming back to the Bruins for at least one more season.
The longtime Bruins center is meeting with the team next week with the intention of returning, “several well-connected sources” told The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter on Friday.
Retirement rumors swirled around Bergeron for much of the past season, which was the final year of his eight-year contract. When the Bruins’ season came to an end in May following a first-round playoff loss to the Hurricanes, Bergeron wasn’t sure if he’d return for one more season. But he did know one thing: He didn’t want to play for anyone else other than the Bruins.
“I’ve been here for my whole career,” Bergeron told reporters then. “Obviously, [Boston] is a special place for me. It’s not on my mind right now. I just need to take time and regroup.”
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette’s Joe McDonald tweeted Thursday that Bergeron will “return likely on a one-year deal with the Bruins.” A Bruins spokesperson told Porter that Bergeron is currently on vacation, but plans to meet with Bruins general manager Don Sweeney sometime next week.
Bergeron, who turns 37 in July, joined the Bruins in 2003 when they selected him in the second round of that year’s draft. He’s by far the longest-tenured Bruin, with the upcoming season marking his 19th in the Black and Gold. With Bergeron in town, the Bruins have made the playoffs in all but four seasons, winning a Stanley Cup and reaching the Final two other times during that span.
The Bruins’ captain still played at a top-level this past season. He scored 25 goals and had 40 assists, which helped him earn his fifth Selke Award.