Patrice Bergeron Sticking Up for Red Sox As Bruins Star Wears Baseball Team’s Cap to Media Day

BOSTON — Shawn Thornton was at the center of a mini controversy during the Stanley Cup Final when the NHL asked him to stop wearing a Red Sox cap during media availability.

The league wanted its players wearing only NHL-licensed merchandise on the biggest stage of the season.

Apparently, individual teams' media days aren't quite as strict. Either that, or Patrice Bergeron has enough star power to get away with wearing the verboten headgear, as the Bruins alternate captain was sporting a Sox cap for his interviews at the Garden for the club's media day on Tuesday. 

"I didn't know about that," Bergeron said of the flap that Thornton's Sox hat caused last spring. "I guess I'll be in trouble. I didn't know that."

Bergeron wasn't too worried, though, and his choice of caps wasn't any kind of planned statement.

"I didn't even think about it, to be honest with you," Bergeron added. "I just put it on. [Bruins assistant director of media relations Eric] Tosi didn't say anything about it, though, so I think I'm OK."

Bergeron could have more to worry about from Boston fans than from the league for wearing the Sox cap after that club's epic September collapse. But Bergeron's loyalty to his baseball counterparts is unwavering, and he won't change his allegiances because of the Sox's recent struggles.

"We've got to stand behind each other," Bergeron said. "You can't just jump off the bandwagon when things aren't going well. I've learned that before. I think it's important we keep supporting them, even if they're not making the playoffs this year. That's the way I think."