Patrice Bergeron is very quietly having a career year with the Boston Bruins. This fact cannot be denied even by Radek Faksa. Bergeron was questionable for the season opener for the Bruins. Still, he made it and played, even though the Bruins had to swallow a tough pill with a 7-0 loss against the Washington Capitals that night.
Bergeron had a very good start to the season, but unfortunately, he got injured in a game in Dallas versus the Stars on Nov. 16, when Radek Faksa injured him with a hard hit driving Bergeron to the boards. The veteran forward had to miss 16 games with injured shoulder and one must say that it wasn´t ideal.
Since his return, it has been all good for Patrice Bergeron and his palls. Only in his first game back, Bergeron recorded four points in a win over the Nashville Predators. The Bruins started to fire on all cylinders, while Bergeron played in his 1000th game with the Bruins. Yesterday, in a win against the Devils in New Jersey, Bergeron scored twice to reach the 30-goal mark for just the fifth time in his career. He has reached back-to-back 30-goal seasons for the very first time in his career.
So now Patrice Bergeron has 30 goals and 41 assists for 71 points in 58 games. His career-high in goals is 32 from the 2015-2016 season, where he played in 80 games, and his career-best in points is 73 points from the 2005-2006 season, where he played in 81 contests. The B´s have eight games left to play in the season and it´s almost a sure bet that Bergeron will set new career-highs in both of those categories.
When many very good forwards, especially centers, around the NHL, start to decline with their age growing (just look at David Backes), Bergeron is maturing like a fine wine. Getting older means getting better. He started the season with an injury and was questionable to play at the beginning of the year. He missed 16 games because of a severe injury. Taking to the note all of these setbacks and that he still manages to play his best hockey is pretty much mind-blowing.
Last season, there were some shouts from the Bruins fans that Bergeron should get more attention as an MVP candidate. Same applies to this season. However, having those unfortunate injuries negated Bergeron the chance to win Hart Trophy. During this season, it’s even more impossible when Nikita Kucherov has 120 points (and counting). He should “at least” win the Selke Trophy for the fifth time in his career. His only opponent in that category should be Aleksander Barkov, but since the Panthers are most probably not going to make the playoffs, Bergeron should win this race.
Patrice Bergeron is currently on a three-game goal-scoring streak. He has never had more points than games played in one season, so far he has 71 points in just 58 games disputed over the present campaign. The B’s veteran has also had 86 points in his 112 playoff games with Boston. Come playoff time, Bergeron should continue to be clutch. Well, when has Bergeron not been clutch for the Bruins, right?
