Patrice Bergeron: The Bruin of all Bruins

Is Patrice Bergeron even human?

It’s already a well-known fact that hockey players are pretty tough – we’ve seen Gregory Campbell break his leg and still finish his shift on the power play and Rich Peverley’s heart literally stopped on the bench before he was revived and the first question he asked was about the game.

But Bergeron…man Bergeron is something else. Every season, despite continually winning the Selke Award, he seems to get overlooked because of “Canada’s home-town boy” Sidney Crosby.

Let’s rewind to 2013 when the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. It’s Game 6. Boston ultimately loses which allowed Chicago to win the cup. After the game, Bergeron gets in line with his teammates to shake the hands of the Blackhawks players to congratulate them.

Seems pretty normal, right?

Sure. Until you hear about the broken rib, torn cartilage and muscle tissue and a separated shoulder he played through. But that wasn’t all. After the game, it was confirmed that Bergy was also playing through a punctured lung.

A punctured freaking lung.

Each and every year, number 37 gives his all on the ice. He’s everything anyone would want in a hockey player – which is why he wins the Selke Award year after year.

This season is no different. Through the 35 games he’s played, Bergeron has 16 goals and 16 assists – good for 32 points. That almost averages out to a point-per-game and on Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, he collected five points, including four goals and his second-career hat trick.

He’s a player the Bruins would not want to lose – between constantly winning faceoffs and getting points by way of goals and assists – Bergeron is a force on the ice.

That’s why on Sunday night after he went down the tunnel after taking a Kris Letang slapshot off the knee, much of Bruins Nation was holding their breath. Bergy was clearly in pain and couldn’t put any pressure on his leg as he was helped down the tunnel – a sight no B’s fan wanted to see.

Low and behold, he was on the ice to start the second and everything seemed fine with the alternate captain. He had an assist in the game, but needed treatment on his knee before he returned to the ice.

In an article written by the Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa, he states the force of Letang’s shot “chewed a chunk of flesh from Bergeron’s knee.” The cut needed stitches to close and Bergeron said he didn’t want to miss any more of the game.

Because the puck hit the nerve, Bergeron said it was hard to put weight on his leg but it got better as the game went on.

He showed no signs of being hurt – especially in the second – when he won an offensive-zone faceoff that led Brad Marchand to score and helped the B’s rally before ultimately losing in overtime to the Penguins.

Bergeron is one tough hockey player, there’s no question about that. Boston is lucky to have him and it’s obvious how much he loves it here. There aren’t many players like number 37 out there – and the Bruins are lucky he’s willing to sacrifice so much to do whatever it takes for his team.

Written by: Lauren Campbell (@lalalalaurrrren)