It’s appropriate that by virtue of alphabetical order Patrice Bergeron is the first of my 2011-12 season recaps for Bruins players because, in all seriousness, he is the Bruins’ No. 1 player on and off the ice.
Other guys might speak more, but no Bruins player speaks more effectively than Bergeron. And his off-ice discipline is unmatched.
On the ice, he sets the perfect example and is probably the best two-way forward in the entire NHL. We’ll find out next month is voters got it right and picked him to win his first Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward.
While widely considered to be the Bruins’ No. 2 center, Bergeron was, based on performance and production, their top-line pivot all season. And there’s no telling how Boston would’ve fared had Bergeron not be playing through a debilitating oblique injury against Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
Stats
Regular season: 81GP, 22-42-64, plus-36
Playoffs: 7GP, 0-2-2, even
Contract status: Signed through 2013-14 at a cap hit of $5 million per season
Regular season recap
Highlight: As it turned out, the message sent by the Bruins’ April 1 victory on the road against the New York Rangers – Boston’s only win against the Blueshirts in four tries this season – didn’t wind up being a factor in the Bruins’ abbreviated postseason. Nonetheless, in a showdown of the top two teams in the East in terms of seeding, Bergeron starred with the game-winning power play goal. He stole the puck below the goal line and then stuffed it in behind Henrik Lundqvist for a 2-1 victory. He was a plus-1 and won an astounding 17 of 19 faceoffs that night.
Lowlight: Oddly, Bergeron’s worst game might’ve been in a 4-3 victory over Ottawa Jan. 31. He didn’t record a point and was a rare minus-2 (four on the season) with just one shot on goal. He also won just nine of 24 faceoffs. Of course, Bergeron will tell you none of those individual numbers matter because Boston earned the two points. But it was a rare down evening for the Bruins’ center.
Playoff recap: That oblique actually started bothering Bergeron all the way back in Game 3 of the Washington series, so that he didn’t stop taking faceoffs until Game 6 is a testament to his determination. He won the two faceoffs he took in the last two games. Still, an enduring snapshot of the series loss will be Bergeron’s miss of the open net early in overtime in Game 7 when he couldn’t bury the rebound of Dennis Seidenberg’s shot.
Grade: A. Bergeron earned every penny the Bruins threw his way in a contract extension he signed in fall 2010.
Carnac predicts … after winning the Selke Trophy in June, Bergeron becomes a fixture among the final three for that award for years to come and serves as the perfect No. 2 center once Tyler Seguin emerges as the team’s No. 1.
I realize bigger guys are likely to win puck battles but I’d take better players over bigger dudes anytime.
Big Jim
Bigger wingers usually mean more puck battles won in the corners and and a tendency for opposing d-men to get rid of the puck in a hurry, causing turnovers.
I do agree with your ideas about the power play. I think, sometimes, that they should look more for the forward on the opposite side of the puck, when they have the puck at the point. As well, in some of the Western Division playoff games there has been a number of goals scored by deflections about 15 feet in front of the net. A slap pass to the front of the net usually predicates the goal.
The NHL has to do some tinkering with the game, in order to have more offense. The B’s were tied for second in goals scored this season. The most common criticism of their play was a lack of scoring; imagine if you rooted for some of the other teams. I’d like to see the goals slightly larger, (many of the goalies are larger men), the rink slightly wider (5-6 feet), and move the goal another foot or two from the back boards in order to give teams that win the puck battles, more room to operate.
B16
couple things:
the playoffs were boring with the bruins too, that series was awful to watch.
i’m not going to rehash my season long diatribe regarding joe corvo.
the bruins power play is not, by and large, a personel problem. it’s a philosophy problem. their entire powerplay is predicated on shots from 65 feet away from the net, through traffic. it’s horrible. even with their lack of top notch offensive talent they should be able to be more creative with a man advantage. on top of that, i’m convinced that these guys are thinking defense first all the time. that isn’t a power play mentality. personel wise i will grant you this, rich peverley has no business being on anyone’s power play. he’s not that kind of player.
not sure how the big wingers would make this system tick offensively, it’s a defensive system. too much so in fact. they need to get another legitimate top 3 forward. i would contend they only have 1 guy with that sort of talent.
Big Jim
I think the system that Julien wants needs to have another big winger or two. That is one reason why I advocated Caron over some other players, and believe if Horton comes back healthy, the B’s will be better. Matt alluded to that Boychuk may see more time on the power play next year, and I think that would help score more. I think they really need a puck-moving d-man or put Bergeron back on the point, with the first PP unit. I think they tried to put Corvo back there, to justify the expenditure, and it didn’t work. As well, Chara takes too long to get rid of his shot and its usually high, so no rebounds.
To all B’s fans:
The playoffs are terribly boring with the Bruins.
bruins16
i don’t think the bruins have a true number one center. maybe seguin develops there, maybe not. but what a second line center is expected to be bergeron does perfectly. i like the guy it isn’t meant to be a knock on him. he’s a great player, just not what i expect a first line center to be.
i have to add, maybe he would be that guy if he were on a different team. defense is over emphasized on this team if you ask me. you can have a defensive minded team with some offensively gifted individuals like the rangers with gaborik.
Hey guys, just a thought. A lot has been said about the lackluster play of Krejci and Lucic this postseason- by all means unacceptable play from our top line; but people seem to forget that Marchand looked like a pee-wee trying to duck through peoples legs out there, and if Seguin doesn’t get those two clutch goals he was far and away the worst Bruin forward for most of the series.
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I say we keep Lucic without a second thought. I don’t even think that needs explaining- If we were to move him, i want an upgrade in goals (30, 35+), defensive responsibility, physicality, assists (40+), and overall hockey sense. I don’t think thats likely. With Krejci however, no question if he plays like he did this entire year, his contract extension was a mistake. But I wouldn’t move him just yet. Not that a first-liner should need to search outwardly for motivation to play well, but i feel like Krejci wants to stay in Boston and he knows he has to bounce back huge this next year to stay. His lack of hear at times is certainly worrisome, thats one thing I hate to see form a Bruin. But if he can find it in him to return to 08-09 form, and playoffs 2010 when he was easily the best forward on the ice in the series (we lost every game when he went down), and also the playoffs during our cup run when he performed like a true #1, than I want him in Boston at least a couple more years.
Hey guys, just a thought. A lot has been said about the lackluster play of Krejci and Lucic this postseason- by all means unacceptable play from our top line; but people seem to forget that Marchand looked like a pee-wee trying to duck through peoples legs out there, and if Seguin doesn’t get those two clutch goals he was far and away the worst Bruin forward for most of the series.
I say we keep Lucic without a second thought. I don’t even think that needs explaining- If we were to move him, i want an upgrade in goals (30, 35+), defensive responsibility, physicality, assists (40+), and overall hockey sense. I don’t think thats likely. With Krejci however, no question if he plays like he did this entire year, his contract extension was a mistake. But I wouldn’t move him just yet. Not that a first-liner should need to search outwardly for motivation to play well, but i feel like Krejci wants to stay in Boston and he knows he has to bounce back huge this next year to stay. His lack of hear at times is certainly worrisome, thats one thing I hate to see form a Bruin. But if he can find it in him to return to 08-09 form, and playoffs 2010 when he was easily the best forward on the ice in the series (we lost every game when he went down), and also the playoffs during our cup run when he performed like a true #1, than I want him in Boston at least a couple more years.
George
I agree, and I think he will stay in Boston for his career.
Big Jim
Lots of thing you’ve said are to the point and I agree with. But when you say Bergy is a number 2 centre, then who do you see as a number one? Too many times people view number one centres by their point total, not their overall contributions.
Bergeron has been my favorite player in the NHL for years. If he stays with Boston I have no doubt he’ll be named captain and could have his number in the rafters.
something tells me if patrice were name zergeron kalman would have still found a way to post his review first.
definitely the bruins’ most consistent player, great defensively, great second line center.
Bergy so important to this club. If they want to call him second center so be it, Krejic could’nt tie his skates. I want a complete over haul of the first line keep Looch search for the rest. Horton as I have said before and feel bad about is not going to come back an be an impact player. From a business stan point you can not put a lot of stock in Horts only wish him well. If another team has intrest I would deal him in a second. From a statistical look we did not crack the top twenty player wise in goals or assists and that has to change. we have mastered the plus minus and get goals from all but one go to offensive line for goals regular and power play is a must and the powers at be are heard at work searching and I’m sure convincing Claude that a power play can be a good thing.
I sort of agree with you B16. I have always raved about how much I love watching Bergy play. My feeling is tho that he is a perfect 2nd Line center. I really feel like the Bruins need to make moves to really beef up consistent scoring on their top line and in my eyes that means without Kreicji centering it. Bergy and his unit is great for hard working scoring but that doesn’t always constitute to consistent scoring. That’s were a good first line comes in.
You can’t get much better then this guy, for all around play, IMO. You know what you’re going to get night in and night out, and that’s going to be a solid game in all three zones, and dominance at the dot. He makes everyone around him better.
Bergy for Selke!
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Matt
Your still stuck in trying to justify your silly statement, last year,that Bergy is #2 centre. He is #1 centre on a championship team and he proved he is a notch above Krecji.
Bergeron exemplifies hard-working, and team-oriented play to the maximum. One publication gave him an A-plus grade, this past year, and I couldn’t agree more. (He was the Bruin to receive this high of a grade) I’m just so glad the Habs passed on him twice, along with the rest of the NHL, so the B’s could draft him. I hope for his sake, and the B’s his health stays good.
Yes! The reviews are back! As a Bruins fan, it’s really hard to ever be truly upset with Bergy, just so good in every way you could want from a player.