Former Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron Refutes Comeback Rumors

Patrice Bergeron isn't calling it a comeback.

While rumors swirled last week that Bergeron was around the team and skating on a regular basis -- leading many to think he might come out of retirement and join the Bruins mid-season -- the franchise's former captain shot down that speculation in one fell swoop.

"No, it is not happening," Bergeron said in an interview Monday with The Canadian Press, per ESPN. "I'm not making a comeback, not trying to make a comeback."

Bergeron added that getting on the ice isn't a part of any effort to take on NHL competition once again.

"It's a slow pace," Bergeron said jokingly.

The 38-year-old Bergeron officially retired in late July, hanging up his skates after 19 illustrious seasons with the Bruins, in which he tallied 427 goals and 613 assists for 1,040 points while also winning a Stanley Cup in 2011.

Bergeron said he did get the itch to play in August, when he usually would ramp up preparations for the upcoming season. But that itch didn't last and he feels content with the decision he made to retire.

"(My body) was telling me: 'Hey you should be somewhere right now ... what's going on?'" Bergeron said. "But I feel like I am where I should be."

The Bruins haven't skipped a beat without Bergeron in the lineup, entering Monday's showdown with the Winnipeg Jets owning the best record in the Eastern Conference at 28-8-9.

But Bergeron's absence certainly is felt, especially at the faceoff dot. According to StatMuse, the Bruins rank 17th in the NHL in faceoff win percentage. That's an area the Bruins will need to clean up as they go through the second half of the regular season.