The first round of the playoffs was intense, unpredictable and remarkable.
Louis Jean and Alex Picard look back on the great performances, surprises and disappointments of the initial round and also set the stage for what promises to be just as exciting in the podcast “Temps d’Arrêt”. Listen here:
Hockey fans have been very spoiled over the past two weeks as the most goals in 30 years have been scored and five number seven games have been needed, and those have been spectacular, especially the last two, which ended beyond regulation time.
“A first round of 51 games, we hadn’t seen that for ages. It will be difficult, but I hope that the second round will be as impressive and exciting as the first”, wished Jean at the end of the podcast.
“Bergeron has gone elsewhere”
Speaking of conclusion, did Patrice Bergeron play his last game in the NHL, Saturday, with the elimination of the Bruins by the Hurricanes after the seventh and final game?
Louis and Alex believe that the Quebec forward will most likely decide that the time has come to take a well-deserved retirement.
“Everyone would like to see him play for a few more seasons, but I think he’s gone somewhere else physically and mentally,” said the former defender.
“I’ve been there before. Physically, it’s not as obvious at 36-37 as at the start of his career. In addition, Bergeron has suffered several injuries and concussions in recent years.
“And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two seasons haven’t been rosy, with teams playing a lot of games in a short time. There are several things to consider. In the end, it’s going to be his choice.”
According to Picard, whether or not Bergeron hangs up his skates, “he’s going to remain a Bruin.” “I’m sure the Bruins will find him a job in the organization,” he predicted.
A matter of time…
The host of “Temps d’Arrêt” also has the impression that “Bergeron is perhaps ready to move on”. He got a hint after the Bruins were eliminated.
“It’s rare to see a player hug his teammates on the ice like Patrice Bergeron did. It seems to indicate, as I have thought for some time, that there is a good chance that he will retire. His decision has not yet been made, however, said Jean.
“He has considered for several years now that the contract he has just finished was probably going to be his last. I don’t know what could make him change his mind.”
Monday, day of assessment for the Bruins, the Quebecer hinted that a period of reflection will be necessary before deciding on his future.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. I need time to think about a lot of things and make the best decision for my family and me.”
The perfect prototype
Regardless of his choice, Bergeron will never be forgotten in Boston.
“He had a glorious career. He marked the history of the Bruins and the NHL. He gave everything, congratulated the host of TVA Sports. He’s going straight to the Hall of Fame, that’s for sure.”
In addition to his enviable offensive statistics (982 points in 1,216 games), the L’Ancienne-Lorette center excels in the other two areas. In fact, the Bruins captain is one of the three finalists for the Frank-J.-Selke trophy, which rewards the best defensive forward, for the 11th year in a row. If crowned for the fifth time, he would set an NHL record, which he currently shares with Bob Gainey.
“A lot of teams would like to clone Patrice Bergeron, who is seen as the perfect model of a forward who plays well over 200 feet.”
PODCAST SUMMARY:
1re minute :
Should we panic in Toronto when the Maple Leafs have still been unable to pass the first round of the playoffs? Instead, Louis and Alex believe that patience is key and that big changes aren’t necessary.
8e minute :
According to Alex, the Canadiens need to model the mentality of the Lightning and not look for excuses, such as the fatigue factor that we heard about all season long in Montreal.
11e minute :
Is this the end for Patrice Bergeron? Louis thinks it’s highly likely that the Bruins forward will decide to retire.
14e minute :
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kristopher Letang “definitely” played their last game together, Alex says.
18e minute :
Did Jacob Trouba deserve a suspension for his elbow in the face of Sidney Crosby? No, claim Louis and Alex.
They say Nikita Zadorov also didn’t deserve a suspension for hitting Luke Glendening in the lead.
24e minute :
Jake Oettinger was the best player in the first round, Alex argues. “I don’t remember seeing such a good performance from a goaltender in the first round of the playoffs. I would immediately offer him an eight-year contract.
28e minute :
Will Marc-André Fleury return to the Wild next season? Everything suggests not.
31e minute :
Connor McDavid was able to stand up against the Kings and showed other facets of his game. “He really took the team on his shoulders,” says Alex.
33e minute :
We end the podcast with Louis and Alex’s predictions for the second round of the playoffs.