It took a single word from Patrice Bergeron to silence all the rumors that sent him to Montreal or elsewhere. Asked if he saw himself playing anywhere other than Boston, he replied “no. »
Posted yesterday at 7:59 p.m.
Without fanfare, like Patrice Bergeron. A clear, clear and precise answer that he gave without hesitation for a fraction of a second.
After their Saturday elimination at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins players were back at the TD Garden in Boston to meet the journalists and take stock of their season.
The 36-year-old Quebecer will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Three options are therefore available to him: stay with the team that drafted him in 2003, sign a contract with a new formation or retire.
Montreal Canadiens fans have seen the center player in their soup since Kent Hughes, Bergeron’s former agent, was hired as general manager of the Canadiens.
However, Bergeron ended all their hopes today.
I’ve been here since the beginning of my career and it’s a special place for me. It’s not part of my thinking.
Patrice Bergeron
Number 37 therefore hesitates between a return in September or hanging up his skates. Bergeron has more than 1,200 games behind the tie, all with the Bruins, and he has never been spared from injury during his career.
The captain insists it’s still too early to make a decision about his future. “I don’t know, to be honest. I will need time to think about it and come back with the best decision for my family and me. »
Physically, he feels good and he thinks he can hold out for another season, considering everything that entails, from training camp to the playoffs.
His decision will only concern him and his family. He says he loves his teammates and believes in them and the fact that all core players will return next season might convince him to stay. Especially with the first round that the Bruins have just experienced: “We showed a lot of resilience during this series by coming back from behind after trailing 0-2. I am proud [de ses coéquipiers]. »