Confirmed with Link: Bergeron - Signs 8yrs/52mill

[DevilsHughes86]

One of the things I like best about Bergeron is knowing how it must really irk Le Club Canadiene that this French Canadian son of Quebec was overlooked by them and has become a terroir against them.

Marchand, too.

Love it.

Yup but Bergeron was never a Habs fans growing up anyways. He loved the Nordiques

Love the fact that the Habs had a pick 5 selections before us and took a total bust in Cory Urquhart a center as well

 

[weaponomega]

Love it. Glad Bergeron will be a Bruin FOREVER!

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

It was great to hear this today! One of my all time favorite Bruins. I'm glad he will wear the Spoked B for many years to come.

 

[Pie O My]

good on ya Bergy! love, love, LOVE this kid. I'll have to beg, borrow, or steal a ticket to his number retiring ceremony, if i'm still alive.

 

[BklyNBruiN]

Ha ha. What's Up bro.

What's up.. All good here in Nu Yawk City. Yea man Patrice Bergeron is one of those guys that, you wish the rest of you're players played with that same passion, heart, grit and DETERMINATION as Mr Bergeron.. He can do no wrong in my eyes brother..

Sure he has had a couple concussions as you mentioned but this man/player is special! When healthy you see what he brings, and were ecstatic he is locked up as a Bruin for life.

Go Go!!!

 

[ronwm]

Sure...I feel reservations about Rask's contract.....but none whatsoever here.

 

[ODAAT]

Following the Chicago model. Lock up your core so you don't have to worry about them leaving. The rest are interchangeable, which has become a necessity of this cap reality.

Plus, Chia has acquired some young talent that will challenge or be used as bargaining chips to fix needs.

Chia is a grandmaster chess player IMO. Always thinking of the present and the future simultaneously. Two steps ahead, even when everyone else thinks he's two steps behind.

Always looking at the entire chess board, I guess that's why I'll always wait for the King to fall, before I judge this team.

Not so sure that the Hawks haven`t followed the Bruins model to be honest. Either way, if you look at the evolution of both franchises, who had become irrelevant for a while, they both have experienced a rebirth so to speak, empty arena`s now filled to capacity, fans not feeling cheated, players actually drafted, developed and given a chance....

Hawks had to lose a ton to put players like Kane/Toews/Keith in their lineup, I`ll argue that the Bruins had a tougher job re-tooling being just barely good enough to escape a top 5 pick every year, and have to re-tool with so so picks

 

[EvilElf63]

6.5 is a pretty good hit.

 

[ODAAT]

6.5 is a pretty good hit.

It`ll look even better as that Cap rises too

 

[BklyNBruiN]

Again he deserves it, It is money well spent.

 

[Rumpy]

You woulda been happy with a 5 year deal maybe, but the message that sends to Bergeron after doing what he has done, and meant what he has meant would present horrible optics moving forward. This regime has done a great job turning Boston into a place where others want to play after years of this organization practically begging/bribing anyone to come play for them.

Handing Bergeron a 5 year deal would have been a slap to the face of a guy who`s stated very publicly, he wants to retire a Bruin

Because 4 more years couldn't have been added to that in say 4 years?

 

[LouisOlivier]

I couldn't be happier for Patrice and ... well us as fans. In my opinion, talents aside, he's this generations Ray Bourque. He represents everything this town stands for and what we want in our athletes.

I'm happy Patty's never going to play for Quebec.

NEVER in Montreal Canadien.... but Quebec Nordiques?

 

[BklyNBruiN]

6.5 is a pretty good hit.

Exactly.. The man is playing Professional Hockey and is one of the best center man in the league. Pay the man $$$$$$.

Rask's contract I am not to thrilled about, but this contract is perfect.

 

[Roll 4 Lines]

I love it!

I love what this organization has become!

I love the Boston Bruins!

Let's get the weekend started!

 

[bruinmann77]

Glad we locked up our Future Captain and now know what my next jersey will be.

 

[sandtoorr]

NEVER in Montreal Canadien.... but Quebec Nordiques?

Right. I'm hoping the Nordiques find their way back to the NHL; I just don't want Bergeron playing for them. He's ours.

 

[TD Charlie]

Love it. Glad Bergeron will be a Bruin FOREVER!

Nicely done

 

[LouisOlivier]

Right. I'm hoping the Nordiques find their way back to the NHL; I just don't want Bergeron playing for them. He's ours.

Lol I love Bergeron too, I can't see him wearing another jersey! Boston is a great hockey town and deserve a true warrior like him.

 

[Si Hopkins]

Fun to play with statistical possibilities.

In terms of Bruins all-time stats:

-Right now he's 20th all time in points with 433 in 579 GP.
-By the end of this year, he'll most finish around 14th all-time passing the likes of Joe Thornton and Dit Clapper.
-If he has an old school Bergeron offensive performance this year and could grab 70-75, he'll get his 500th point.

IFs/ands/buts

If he finishes out the term and stays healthy the whole way:

-Could finish in the top 5 all-time in GP
-Say he can manage 50 points (conservative?) per year he has the potential to pass Middleton for 4th all-time in points. Can't really see him cracking 1000 points, but throw in a couple of high point seasons and he could do it. Esposito's at 1012.
-Even if he finishes with a number as small as 10 goals a year for the length of the term, he'd end 10th all time.
-Say he gets 20 assists for the length of the term, he finishes 7th all time in Bruin assists.

In terms of Bruins centers all-time:

-he's already 9th in points. Should have no trouble hitting second place in the next few years, passing Peter McNab at 587. First place is Esposito at 1,012.
-Before the term is half over, he should have no problem being the all-time leader in games played for Bruin centers.
-Again, at 10 goals per year, he'll easily hit at least 3rd all time for Bruins centers. Espo again at #1 with 459. He is currently 10th all-time.
-Assists: currently at 8th all time, if he can manage roughly 20 a year for the next 9 years, he finish in 2nd to Esposito's 553.

Statistically, he could be one of the best Bruins all-time. Certainly you've got an argument for second best Bruins center of all-time. Throw in a Selke or two, a Cup, maybe 2 or 5? and you've got a case certainly for a future Patrice Bergeron Night, in what like 2025?

I'm DRUNK on Bergeron kool-aid right now.

 

[TimmytheTank]

Yeah I actually agree, the disrespect that Chara gets on this board is absolutely ridiculous. This guy not only led his team to a Cup win and to another final, he's also one of the best & most feared D-men of the last decade. Additionally he's probably the league's hardest worker and, as far as I can tell from his interviews, a very nice person.

What exactly do you guys think makes Bergy a better captain than Chara, except being a good-looking Canadian??

No disrespect to Chara. He's a great captain, and the team has done well under his leadership. I'm just excited for the "Bergeron Era" to begin, and was curious about whether or not there was precedent for it to happen before Chara leaves. The only way I could see it actually happening would be if it was Chara's idea.

 

[MarchandNoseBest]

I really don't get how people are livid about the Rask contract being too risky but in love with giving a guy with Bergeron's monster concussion history 8 years. This is way more risky than the Rask contract.

With that said, don't think they had any other choice. Stars in their prime are going to get max term, hell, even non-stars like Clarkson/Horton did so you either give Bergeron the max term that is his market value or you risk losing him, which they can't do. He's too important.

Just find it weird, though not remotely surprising considering Bergeron's basically everyones favorite player, to see the backlash for the Rask contract and the pure joy for this one. Me? I LOVE both players, don't particularly like either contract but I understand the fact that's just what the market is now.

 

[sandtoorr]

I really don't get how people are livid about the Rask contract being too risky but in love with giving a guy with Bergeron's monster concussion history 8 years. This is way more risky than the Rask contract.

With that said, don't think they had any other choice. Stars in their prime are going to get max term, hell, even non-stars like Clarkson/Horton did so you either give Bergeron the max term that is his market value or you risk losing him, which they can't do. He's too important.

Just find it weird, though not remotely surprising considering Bergeron's basically everyones favorite player, to see the backlash for the Rask contract and the pure joy for this one. Me? I LOVE both players, don't particularly like either contract but I understand the fact that's just what the market is now.

There are safety nets in the cap for injuries. There's nothing however for goalies that just lose thier mojo (Raycroft, Lacher, and countless others). Do I think Rask will disappear? Nah, but you can't deny that there isn't a history of it happening to goalies.

Edit: Also, there's a little more of a history with Bergeron. You know what you're getting with him.

 

[sandtoorr]

No disrespect to Chara. He's a great captain, and the team has done well under his leadership. I'm just excited for the "Bergeron Era" to begin, and was curious about whether or not there was precedent for it to happen before Chara leaves. The only way I could see it actually happening would be if it was Chara's idea.

The Bergeron Era is already here dude. Enjoy it. Its just a letter.

 

[SPV]

Love the cap hit, makes me feel like Chia could have done better with Tuukka though; 'cause Bergeron's body of work is far more impressive thus far. Anyway, very happy to have him locked up long term!

Love that we are locking up our core players going forward, what a different time to be a Bruin fan than 10+ years ago!!

 

[MarchandNoseBest]

There are safety nets in the cap for injuries. There's nothing however for goalies that just lose thier mojo (Raycroft, Lacher, and countless others). Do I think Rask will disappear? Nah, but you can't deny that there isn't a history of it happening to goalies.

Safety nets, yes. Get out of jail free cards? No. There's still significant risk here, as we are seeing some of the issues about having a guy on LTIR this off-season w/Savard. Might have $4M+ in dead money next year due to Savard's deal not letting us use LTIR for Iginla's bonuses.

And if say Bergeron had a career ending concussion while Savard is on the books (or if any other Bruins done the line suffer career ending injuries later in the contract), well they combine to make more than 10% of the salary cap which is the amount you are allowed to go over during the off-season. That means no FA's to replace their money, just in season trades which is a lot more difficult.

I'd say Bergeron's injury risk is greater than Rask's drop off risk personally, but it's certainly at worst close enough that it makes the combined reactions to the 2 deals pretty baffling. I think a lot of people are thinking with their hearts over their heads on this deal. If you had a problem with Rask's deal due to the riskiness of it, I'd say similar risks apply here. Maybe more risks.