Patrice Bergeron reveals how he felt throughout his career with the Bruins

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Hunter Bowman
July 28, 2023 (9:50 PM)

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Patrice Bergeron, a legendary figure in the National Hockey League, announced his retirement on Tuesday, capping off an illustrious 19-year career with the Boston Bruins.

Despite achieving an NHL record of six Selke Trophies for his exceptional defensive play, Bergeron humbly revealed to NESN's Andy Brickley that he was "never really satisfied" with his game throughout his career, always seeking ways to improve and evolve his skills.

"I think I was always trying to push my limits, to be honest with you," Bergeron shared with Brickley. "Throughout my career, I was never really satisfied with where I was, where my game was. I always knew I had some things to work on and things to be better at, and yeah, sometimes it was just like the way that it was with the team as well."

Throughout his remarkable NHL journey, Bergeron showcased his scoring prowess, recording 30 or more goals in six of his 19 seasons.

Notably, his career-high came in the 2018-19 season when he tallied 32 goals. The 38-year-old reflected on how his playing style evolved over time, particularly after enduring a Grade 3 concussion in 2007 under former head coach Claude Julien.

"Early in my career, it was more offensive for me and it was a bit more about the minutes and more about the offense and producing," Bergeron admitted. "And then back from the injury with Claude (Julien), it was more about making sure I was taking care of my defensive side, and eventually I kind of brought the two together. I think over time, it kind of built my game, and kudos to Claude for making me a better defensive player and really working on that side even more."

Despite the countless accolades and milestones he achieved, Bergeron's relentless pursuit of improvement never wavered.

"You just evolve, and you just find ways to try to push yourself to be better," Bergeron emphasized. "I always thought there were always better players than me, and I think I was always motivated to be better myself."

Source: Nesn