A rebuild seems inevitable for the Bruins, but judging by Monday’s press conference, it doesn’t seem like ownership has much of an appetite to go that route
The wait is over for Boston Bruins fans. Patrice Bergeron has officially made his decision.
The Bruins captain is returning for a 19th season with the Original Six franchise, the team announced Monday. He'll play on a one-year contract worth $2.5 million with an additional $2.5 million in incentives.
Bergeron was an unrestricted free agent after wrapping up his eight-year, $55 million contract that began during the 2014-15 campaign. The choice for Bergeron was come back to the Bruins or retire.
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From a talent/performance perspective, there was no reason for Bergeron to retire. He remains one of the best forwards in the NHL. The 3-year-old center has scored 20-plus goals in nine consecutive years, and he was named the 2022 Selke Trophy winner as the league's top two-way forward for a record fifth time.
Bergeron coming back also buys the Bruins at least another year to find/develop his eventual replacement. Boston is totally unprepared for his eventual departure based on its lack of talent at center throughout the organization, including a prospect pool that ranks among the league's worst.
Now that Bergeron is back in the fold, the Bruins can turn their attention to other offseason items. That list includes a contract extension for superstar right winger David Pastrnak and working out a deal with veteran center David Krejci.
UPDATE: Krejci also has signed a one-year contract with Boston, the team announced Monday.
