Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron explains decision to retire: ‘I wanted to leave on top of my game’
"I left everything out there. I have no regrets about anything."
Few things have slowed Patrice Bergeron down over the years.
Repeated concussions early in his career didn’t stop a 22-year-old pivot from blossoming into one of the premier centers in the NHL.
A torn shoulder, cracked rib and punctured lung wasn’t enough to keep him from playing in Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.
Even with plenty of mileage tackled onto his 37-year-old body in 2022-23, Bergeron defied Father Time in Boston’s record-setting season. He won his sixth Selke Trophy in a landslide as the best defensive forward in the league, and still posted 58 points in 78 games.
Had he returned for a 20th campaign in 2023-24, Bergeron would still likely hold court as a top-line center and the premier two-way forward in the game.
But for Bergeron, it was simply time to walk away — especially with his game still at its peak.
“There were a lot of things that kind of influenced me, but obviously the main thing is probably the body and spending more time with the family,” Bergeron said Wednesday morning at his retirement press conference at TD Garden. “I’ve always wanted to and told myself that, for me, I wanted to play the game at the highest level that I could and I felt like I wanted to leave on top of my game and feeling good about it.
“But also thinking about the future and knowing that I want to continue to be able to spend time with the family, but also being active and doing other things and other endeavors that I’ve always wanted to, but I’ve never really had the time to do.”
While Bergeron remained mum on his future plans throughout the 2022-23 season, he acknowledged Wednesday that he was leaning on viewing this past season as the last hurrah for a majority of the year.
Even though he wanted to take time for the dust to settle this spring before making the decision to hang up his skates, Bergeron felt it was time after he admitted his motivation to ramp things up in the offseason started to slow.
“You’re gonna know when it’s time,” Bergeron said of his conversations with other former players over the summer. “It just felt like it was. I’m a very intuitive guy. I feel like I always listen to my instincts and my heart and it just felt like it was time for me to move on. Unfortunately, I wish I could play forever and never have to do this. But as you know, eventually you have to move on and the body tells you something sometimes.”
Bergeron didn’t feel like his play on the ice and the high standards he set for himself waned at all during the 2022-23 season. Beyond a herniated disc suffered in Game 82 that hampered his game, this past year was one where Bergeron managed to steer clear of the injury bug.
But even though Bergeron still played in 78 games, he admitted that the ramp-up and off-ice work needed to get him on the frozen sheet was starting to add up.
“I felt good. I felt good on the ice. I felt good skating, I felt good making plays and whatnot,” Bergeron said. “I felt like the game was still slowing down when I had the puck. It’s not like I felt like I had no time and space where I couldn’t create time and space for myself. But it was more really the preparation and it was taking a lot longer now. I couldn’t just put the equipment on and jump on the ice.”
Despite Boston’s record-setting regular season in Bergeron’s final season, the Bruins’ crushing first-round exit to the Panthers didn’t influence Bergeron’s decision this summer.
Even though Bergeron hoped for a storybook ending to cap off his Hall-of-Fame career, the sting of April 30, 2023 subsided when weighed against the rest of Bergeron’s accomplishments over his 19 years in a black-and-gold sweater.
“The bigger part of me was always leaning towards that it’d be my last year and I was trying to look at the big picture as well,” Bergeron said. “Once I took a step back and I realized everything that I was fortunate to experience and live as a hockey player and as a person, I felt very lucky and grateful. So for me, it kind of overweighed that and helped my decision. It didn’t really factor in for that long.”
As for what the future holds, Bergeron is looking to “take a step back” and spend more time with his family for the time being. A career in coaching isn’t “in the cards for now,” with Bergeron now looking forward to serving as a dependable “Uber driver” for his kids as he ferries them around.
When it comes to discussing his legacy and what he’s left the Bruins franchise, Bergeron opted to not focus on the stats and trophies he’s accumulated over his lauded career.
“I think what I’ve always tried to do is be a good role model for kids and the younger generation — for my kids, but also for anyone that watched the Bruins or the game,” Bergeron said. “It was always important for me to kind of try to leave a good example and lead that way on and off the ice.
“I think community work was really important for me. I’ve met so many amazing people throughout the years. It’s pretty special. … I think the one thing I’ll definitely say is I left everything out there. I have no regrets about anything. And I gave my all.”
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