Six-Time Selke Winner Patrice Bergeron Absolute For Bruins All-Centennial Team

In celebration of the Boston Bruins’ 100th season, NESN is dedicating an episode of the “Ultimate Bruins Show” to each member of the Bruins All-Centennial team. Tune in Thursday at 6 p.m. ET as we honor Patrice Bergeron.

When discussing the best two-way forward in the history of the National Hockey League, Patrice Bergeron’s name has to be in the conversation.

His prolific defense and faceoff percentage earned him the Selke Trophy six times, more than any other player in NHL history. That is just one of the many reasons Bergeron was selected to the Bruins All-Centennial Team comprised of the 20 most legendary players in franchise history. Learn more about Bergeron’s selection on NESN’s “Ultimate Bruins Show” on Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET.

Although widely known for his defensive skills, Bergeron lit the lamp 30 or more times in six of his 19 NHL Seasons. The Quebec native eclipsed the 50-point mark in 14 of his 19 seasons in a Bruins sweater. He recorded career highs in goals (32) and points (79) in the 2018-19 season. Only fellow All-Centennial Team members Johnny “Chief” Bucyk (545) and Phil Esposito (459) have more goals than Bergeron (427) in Bruins’ history. He sits third all-time in Bruins history for points. Bergeron notched 1,040 in his 19-year career behind Bourque who has 1,506 and Bucyk’s 1,339. He is one of four players to collect 1,000 or more points with the Bruins — joining Bourque, Bucyk and Esposito.

“It’s an absolute honor. I look up to the three of those guys,” Bergeron told NESN of joining the elite group. “I’ve had the chance to be close to Chief for many years, with him traveling the road and have a special connection with him. Ray is from my home province in Canada as well. He is a special person, a guy that’s looked up to. And Espo, obviously a legend in the game. It’s incredible. Huge honor. I feel like I don’t necessarily belong there, but it’s special.”

The former captain ranks third in Bruins history for games played. Bergeron suited up for the Black and Gold in 1,294 games behind only Ray Bourque (1,518) and Bucyk (1,436).

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A leader on and off the ice, Bergeron, along with Zdeno Chara helped build the winning culture in Boston. The duo made the Bruins a team that opponents feared while being a desirable place to play.

“I knew how special it was to be a Boston Bruin. I thought it was an honor for me,” Bergeron said. “I think it took time to establish that culture. A lot of personal changes. It took some time. It took some people to buy in and to actually believe in what we were trying to bring in as a culture and as an identity to this club.”

Bergeron hung up his skates and retired from the NHL in July. Most certainly to be elected to the Hall of Fame, the 2011 Stanley Cup champion understands what it means to be a member of the Bruins organization.

“It’s a lot of pride for me to be a Boston Bruin,” Bergeron said. “It just has a special place in my heart. I’ve spent more than half my life now in Boston, being a part of the Boston Bruins organization. I have a lot of pride and joy. It’s not something I take lightly. It’s something I’m proud of and I want to be a good role model and represent this organization to the best I can.”

Bergeron joins Bucyk, Esposito, Wayne Cashman, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, David Krejci, Milt Schmidt, Cam Neely, Rick Middleton, Terry O’Reilly and Bill Cowley to complete the 12 forwards named to the Bruins All-Centennial Team.