SIMMONS: Patrice Bergeron's good profession was a masterpiece of victories

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The nice and swish hockey lifetime of Patrice Bergeron, for public consumption throughout Canada, modified on the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

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He started the Video games as a defensive afterthought on Group Canada. Possibly the twelfth or thirteenth ahead. He ended the match with a gold medal round his neck, enjoying alongside Sidney Crosby, shifting from fourth line to first in a lineup that included most of the finest gamers on the earth.

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He was first line after that. All the time. In every single place. Each time.

A yr later he received his solely Stanley Cup. He in all probability ought to have received three.

And in 19 seasons with the Boston Bruins, the retiring Bergeron’s exceptional profession might be quantified extra in group numbers than his personal unimaginable accomplishments.

The Bruins received extra video games in Bergeron’s virtually 20 years than another group in hockey.

Cumulatively within the Bergeron years, Boston ranked first within the NHL in wins, first in factors, first in targets towards, first in penalty kill, first in faceoffs received.

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That wasn’t in any means unintended: That was The Bergeron Method. He was a lot part of the package deal — and in a metropolis famend for sporting superstars — he was quietly, successfully and effectively good and distinctive.

“What number of gamers within the league may very well be the sport star and get no factors,” stated Corridor of Fame coach Ken Hitchcock, who had Bergeron at two best-on-best Olympic Video games. “He had video games like that the place he utterly managed the sport. He utterly managed your group.

“To me, he was the top of the snake. In case you couldn’t neutralize him, when you couldn’t make him uncomfortable, you had no probability of beating them. To have a participant like that, who carries the conscience of his group round, who’s there for the children, who’s zero upkeep to have round, who’s a participant you’ll be able to put wherever and with anyone when you’re a coach, that’s an unbelievable reward to have.”

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Boston, the marvelous sporting metropolis, has at all times been about large names, greater than virtually wherever else: Bobby Orr, Ted Williams, Tom Brady, Invoice Russell, Larry Chook, Phil Esposito, Raymond Bourque. Most of the best gamers in all of sport.

Bergeron might not have been Orr or Williams or Brady — he didn’t must be — however on any listing of the all-time best Bruins gamers, he would in all probability rank fourth or fifth after Orr, Bourque, Esposito and possibly Eddie Shore.

“He’s the defining 200-foot hockey participant of his period and what a profession he had,” stated Ken Holland, now basic supervisor in Edmonton, winner of 4 Stanley Cups in Detroit and who had Bergeron with two Olympic groups. “You don’t see this typically. He was a participant drafted within the second spherical and he went straight from the draft desk to the Nationwide Hockey League. He by no means missed a beat.

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“My first considered Patrice Bergeron: He’s a winner. You take a look at these numbers. Wins, targets towards, penalty kill, faceoffs. He touches each a kind of areas. He’s on energy play. He’s on penalty kill. He’s on late in a recreation while you’re down a aim. He’s on late within the recreation while you’re up by a aim and defending a lead. He performs in each scenario and he performed his whole profession towards one of the best gamers on the opposite groups.”

In every of the final 12 seasons of Bergeron’s profession, all of them after the Olympics in Vancouver, he was a finalist for an NHL award. He received six Selke Awards as finest defensive ahead and completed second within the voting 4 different occasions.

In his final three NHL seasons, on the ages of 36, 37 and 38, his puck-possession numbers have been comparatively higher than these belonging to the legends of two generations, Connor McDavid and Crosby.

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“I’ve at all times thought that the Selke Award was for essentially the most full participant within the league and that’s why Bergie received it so typically,” Hitchcock stated. “He may rating large targets, get large factors, shut down your finest participant and be reliable every single day below all circumstances. As a coach, you by no means needed to discuss to him. We’re speaking a few once-in-a-lifetime participant right here.”

This isn’t simply the top for Bergeron, however actually that is an finish of an period for the record-breaking Bruins. There was no alternative for Brady in New England and there shall be no alternative of something comparable for Bergeron in Boston.

How can there be? The wingers on the Perfection Line — Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak — stay nice. The massive gap is at centre. The massive gap, within the brief time period, is unattainable to fill.

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“I bear in mind on the Olympics in Vancouver,” Hitchcock stated, “we would have liked a man to suit with Sid. In our wildest desires, we didn’t suppose it could be him. He was means behind the bus for us. Then two video games in, he’s on the entrance of the bus. He received there quick. We put him up there (with Crosby). They ended up being nice collectively.”

They ended up enjoying collectively for Group Canada on the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and, after that, on the World Cup of Hockey. In all, Bergeron performed 1,486 regular-season video games for the Bruins, 170 playoff video games, 43 video games for a wide range of Group Canadas, and by no means as soon as did he rating greater than 79 factors in a season.

Profitable isn’t outlined by scoring championships and Bergeron outlined successful all through his profession. Bergeron received a Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, a World Cup, a world junior title, a world championship gold medal.

Profitable was who he was and what he did. With out headlines, with out a lot discover. Like nobody earlier than him and nobody since.

ssimmons@postmedia.com

twitter.com/simmonssteve

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