Keep Calm and Bergeron…Until 2022

A day after announcing that Tuukka Rask had been re-signed to an 8 year deal, the Boston Bruins announced that they had signed Patrice Bergeron to an 8 year, $52 million extension. Bergeron’s contract would have been up after this coming season. The new deal keeps him in black and gold through the 2021-2022 season.

“He embodies a lot of what the Bruins stand for. He’s a responsible player. He’s a hard player. He’s a leader. He’s a clutch player. He’s just done a classic way of carrying himself that I like to be part of and the Bruins like to be part of,” Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said of Bergeron. “We’ve seen his performance over the years. We saw a gutty performance this year in the playoffs. We’re really happy that we can get Patrice [Bergeron] signed to a long term extension.”

Bergeron has been part of the Bruins organization since they drafted him during the 2nd round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He made the Bruins that first year and has played with Boston since, with the exception of the 2004-2005 season and the first part of the 2012-2013 season, when the league was locked out. Throughout his time with the Bruins, he has been a consistent producer and one of the faces of the Bruins.

Even though Bergeron could have made more money as a free agent at the end of next year, he and his family have come to think of Boston as home. He never had any intention of testing the open market; he wants to retire as a Bruin.

“I’m really happy now to see that I will hopefully retire a Bruin. That’s the goal and that’s what I want. I’d like to thank my teammates for helping me on and off the ice become a better person and a better player,” Bergeron said. “I really have a lot of pride every time I step on the ice as a Bruin and I couldn’t be happier.”

During this past playoff run, Bergeron was truly a warrior. He put up 9 goals and 6 assists in 22 games. But that won’t be what people remember from the Bruins coming within two wins of the Stanley Cup. People will remember that after the playoffs ended, Bergeron went straight to the hospital where he would spend the next 3 days. Bergeron was playing with incredible injuries. He admitted that he tore rib cartilage during Game 4 of the Finals, a broke rib during Game 5, and finally a separated shoulder and punctured lung during Game 6. Now he is recovering and can’t wait to get back to training.

“It’s going the way that it should be. I spoke to the doctors earlier this week and they said I should not do anything for four weeks,” Bergeron said of his numerous injuries. “It’s longer than expected I guess, but things are going well. I’m feeling good and I can’t wait to start working out again and just starting to get ready for next year.”

Rest assured, Bruins fans, Patrice Bergeron wants to be in Boston for the long haul. He is confident in his teammates, coaches, and owners.