Patrice Bergeron is up for yet another Selke Trophy.
The Boston Bruins center has won the award for the NHL’s best defensive forward four times in his career, but winning a fifth would do little to sugarcoat things for the 33-year-old.
Bergeron is in Las Vegas for the NHL Awards ceremony just a week after losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly, who won the Conn Smythe, coincidentally is up against Bergeron for the Selke.
But Bergeron admitted that it’s pretty tough to enjoy himself.
“I’m just trying to slowly turn the page,” Bergeron said. “You have to try to see what can be better, what has to stay the same, individually, as a team. That’s what you’re trying to do. I think it’s still early to say that all that homework has been done on my side.
“I think that the toughest part is to be here to be honest with you and being asked the questions. I think that when we’re done with the (NHL) Awards I’m going to be able to kind of turn the page with what has happened and look forward to a great offseason, be ready for a great season next year.”
Like many Bruins, Bergeron admitted to being pretty banged up after Game 7 of the Final, so he’s definitely due for a long break.
Bergeron has a chance to stand alone at the top with five Selke’s, but there’s little doubt he’d trade all five of them for another Stanley Cup.
