Former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron was one of the critical elements that helped not only bring the Stanley Cup back to Boston in 2011 for the first time since the early 1970s, but also in their runs to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and 2019, though both occasions unfortunately fell just short.
Bergeron, who officially succeeded Zdeno Chara as captain of the franchise, elected to call it a career after Boston’s stunning loss in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal to the Florida Panthers in 2023 after the best regular season campaign in club history. He remains among the most respected players to have played for the team, and his No. 37 will be retired by the team in the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
Meanwhile, as a Quebec native, Bergeron would love nothing more than to see an NHL club return to his home province to replace the Nordiques, who departed town in 1995 to become the Colorado Avalanche.
Former Boston Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron Wants Another NHL Club In Quebec
While making an appearance on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, Bergeron acknowledged that despite growing up in Quebec, he was never a Canadiens fan and instead supported the Nordiques. When they departed town to move to Denver in 1995, it wasn’t an easy thing – especially when they won the Stanley Cup in their first season since relocation.
“Yes, huge Nordiques fan, which I became an Avalanche fan afterwards, and they won,” Bergeron said. “That one hurt. Yeah, the next year was ’95. They win in ’96. That’s like prime NHL fandom, I’d say. But at the same time, I was a big fan of (Joe) Sakic and (Peter) Forsberg, and then they moved on to Colorado.”
He continued by noting that there is still a heavy hockey fan base that is pining for a club to replace the departure of the Nordiques, and that it would be beneficial for young hockey fans in the area to have a club to grow up supporting as he did.
“I mean, obviously kind of preaching for my hometown,” he said. “I think the fan base is there. Hopefully, you know, down the road at some point. I know now we’re creeping up on the amount of teams that we have in the league, so maybe it’d be a move or from a different franchise. But like, I would love it for the fans and for the kids to have that as well, because I grew up having idols and guys that were in the same city as me and playing in the NHL, and having that dream is pretty special.”
Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron Retired In 2023
Following their stunning loss in the opening round of the 2023 postseason, Bergeron elected to hang up the skates.
Boston selected Patrice Bergeron 45th overall in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, and he made his NHL debut that October. Bergeron spent all 19 seasons of his career with the Bruins before retiring in July 2023.
In 1,294 games, he totaled 427 goals and 613 assists for 1,040 points, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to surpass 1,000 points.
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