Would Patrice Bergeron Consider Coaching After Bruins Playing Career?

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron got a taste of life away from the ice during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Bergeron missed the first four games against the Florida Panthers due to injury — he is a game-time decision for Wednesday’s Game 5 — but still tried to stay involved, especially by sending some details he picked up on from afar to assistant coach Chris Kelly.

Bergeron certainly has the eye to go into coaching and can command a room, but would the Bruins captain even consider that line of work once his playing career comes to an end?

“I don’t think so,” Bergeron told reporters Tuesday following practice at Warrior Ice Arena, per team-provided video. “I think it’s too nerve-racking for me. I think it’s too much.”

Bergeron admitted it was stressful having to watch games on a screen instead of being on the ice with his teammates. The 37-year-old didn’t enjoy the lack of control or being unable to make an impactful play, and those uneasy feelings are telling him for now that coaching isn’t in the cards for him.

“It was definitely different,” Bergeron said. “I felt like it was more nerve-racking than when you’re on the ice, on the bench, you feel like you can actually do something about it. You feel a little, I don’t know if helpless is the right word, but you’d like to be out there and kind of help the guys a little bit more.

“I just said, through my texts and try to see a few things. I don’t know if that really did anything or not. With that being said, I was cheering and screaming at the TV a few times.”

Bergeron might be back to his usual on-ice role for Game 5 as the Bruins look to close out their series against the Panthers. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.