Patrice Bergeron Knows Safety Must ‘Start From Players’ After Brandon Carlo Hit

Brandon Carlo was on the receiving end of a hit from Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson.

There was no penalty called, but the Boston Bruins defenseman was hospitalized as a result. Head coach Bruce Cassidy called it blatantly dirty. Capitals coach Peter Laviolette called it a routine hit.

Whichever way you see it, a player got hurt. Whether it falls within the rules or not, the NHL wants to eliminate injuries like that from the game, and Patrice Bergeron said it starts with he and his counterparts.

“I think it has to start from the players to be totally honest with you. We’re the ones that are playing the game,” the Bruins captain said after NHLPA rep Carlo went into the glass.

“I think there has been some some improvement over the years. But, you know, there’s obviously always work to be done — it’s a fast game, I’ll give you that,” Bergeron added. “But that being said, I think we have to be smarter, we have to think about consequences when we go for hits, we have to realize that there is times, as I said it’s a fast game and there’s time that you’re in a vulnerable position and you have to pull up and play the puck on some instance and, you know, whether you like it or not, it’s just the way it is.”

Of course, Bergeron had more to say on the ice to Wilson following the hit. He kept that between them, though.