Bruins Legend Patrice Bergeron Announces His Retirement

Patrice Bergeron has announced his retirement from the NHL, marking the conclusion of a 19-year career.

"It is with a full heart and a lot of gratitude that today I am announcing my retirement as a professional hockey player."

The 38-year-old forward was drafted in the second round (45th overall) in the 2003 NHL Draft and proceeded to play his entire career with the Boston Bruins.

In his 19-year career, Bergeron totaled 427 goals, 613 assists, and 1,040 points to pair with a career plus/minus of +289. The center played a key part in Boston's 2011 Stanley Cup victory, manning one of the core lines alongside Brad Marchand and Mark Recchi as he scored two goals in Cup-clinching Game 7 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

The now-former Bruins captain also won a record six Frank J. Selke Trophies -- which goes to the best defensive forward in the sport -- including one in his final season. His six such awards are two more than anyone else in history. Bergeron also won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in the 2012-13 season and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in the 2020-21 campaign.

Boston Bruins Betting Odds for 2023-24

A year ago, the Bruins set a record for wins (65) and points (135) in an NHL season in what will now be recognized as Bergeron's final season. They were ultimately upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Florida Panthers, blowing a 3-1 series lead and losing in Game 7 at home on a Carter Verhaeghe overtime winner.

With their captain retiring, the Bruins will have some big shoes to fill, and they had already lost a number of players -- including Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov -- in free agency this offseason.

Here's a look at the Bruins' odds for the upcoming season with Bergeron no longer in the picture.

Boston's 2023-24 betting odds reflect how the offseason has gone. After a record-setting campaign a year ago, the Bruins currently have just the eighth-best odds to win it all (+1500) and aren't even the favorite in the Atlantic Division, with the Toronto Maple Leafs (+240) leading the way in that market. All is not lost, though, as Boston is listed at -295 to make the playoffs.

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