Patrice Bergeron Retires: a Salute to the Bruins Legend

When an all-time Boston sports legend like Patrice Bergeron retires, the right thing to do is to take a moment and reflect.

 

The timing of Bergeron’s announcement was, well, cosmic here at ROCK 92.9. Earlier this morning, another Boston sports legend–David Ortiz–was in the building. Fresh off a trip to Cooperstown for Hall of Fame weekend (he, of course, was inducted last year), Big Papi is back in Mass talking up his new line of premium cannabis. You can listen to my interview with him. And you should!

 

As soon as I wrapped up my chat with Big Papi, I was on social media, sharing the pic of us outside the ROCK 92.9 studios. After I shared, I started scrolling, and that’s when I saw the news from my old friend Kevin Paul Dupont, sportswriter at the Boston Globe:

 

What Bruins fans feared (but secretly knew) was coming had come indeed: Patrice Bergeron is hanging up his skates.

 

Patrice Bergeron Retires: a Salute to the Bruins Legend

The retirement announcement came by way of this statement on the Boston Bruins website. It reads, in part:

“For the last 20 years I have been able to live my dream every day. I have had the honor of playing in front of the best fans in the world wearing the Bruins uniform and representing my country at the highest levels of international play. I have given the game everything that I have physically and emotionally, and the game has given me back more than I could have ever imagined.

It is with a full heart and a lot of gratitude that today I am announcing my retirement as a professional hockey player.”

 

It’s going to take some time for Boston sports fans to process this one. While we do, let’s look back at some of Bergey’s best moments as a Bruin, from when he was drafted by Boston in 2003 through his Stanley Cup win in 2011.

• Patrice Bergeron portrait

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  BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 15: Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins poses for a portrait on September 15, 2003 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by: Getty Images)

• Bruins v Sabres

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  BUFFALO, NY - FEBRUARY 5: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins tries to work his way around Dmitri Kalinin #45 of the Buffalo Sabres on February 5, 2005 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty ImagesI)

• Canadiens v Bruins

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  BOSTON - APRIL 9: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins takes a shot as Francis Bouillon #51 of the Montreal Canadiens defends on April 9,2004 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
• World Jr. Hockey: Russia v Canada

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  GRAND FORKS, ND - JANUARY 4: Mike Richards #18, Rejean Beauchemin #35 and Patrice Bergeron #37 of Team Canada celebrate their victory over Team Russia in the gold medal game at the World Jr. Hockey tournament at the Ralph Englestad Arena on January 4, 2005 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Team Canada beat Team Russia 6-1 to win the Gold Medal. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals

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  WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 27: Patrice Bergeron #37 and Brad Stuart #6 of the Boston Bruins celebrate the game winning goal in overtime against the Washington Capitals on December 27, 2005 at MCI Center in Washington, DC. The Bruins defeated the Capitals 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v St. Louis Blues

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  ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 12: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal against Manny Legace #34 of the St. Louis Blues on October 12, 2006 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
• Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins

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  BOSTON - NOVEMBER 16: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins is congratulated by teammate Brad Boyes #26 after Bergeron scored the game winning goal in overtime against the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 16, 2006 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

• Buffalo Sabres v Boston Bruins

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  BOSTON - NOVEMBER 19: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins is congratulated by teammate Patrice Bergeron #37 after Chara scored a goal in the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at the TD Banknorth Garden November 19, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Montreal Canadiens – Game Three

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  MONTREAL- APRIL 20: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins and Josh Gorges #26 of the Montreal Canadiens battle for the puck during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 20, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Bruins defeated the Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)
• Boston Bruins v New Jersey Devils

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  NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 30: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his overtime goal against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on March 30, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. The Bruins defeated the Devils 1-0 in overtime. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

• Detroit Red Wings v Boston Bruins

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  BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 11: David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins is congratulated by teammate Patrice Bergeron #37 after Krejci scored in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings on February 11, 2011 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Tampa Bay Lightning – Game Four

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  TAMPA, FL - MAY 21: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at St Pete Times Forum on May 21, 2011 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)
• Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks – Game Seven

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  VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 celebrates as Brad Marchand , #63 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal in the second period against Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks during Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks – Game Seven

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  VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins slides on the ice to score the 3rd goal in the second period against Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks during Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks – Game Seven

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  VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4 to 0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
• Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks – Game Seven

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  VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates in the locker room after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4 to 0. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

• Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks – Game Seven

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  VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins talks to the media after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4 to 0. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)