Patrice Bergeron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrice Bergeron
Bergeron with the Boston Bruins in January 2016
Born	(1985-07-24) July 24, 1985 (age 39) L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Boston Bruins HC Lugano
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	45th overall, 2003 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2003–2023

Patrice Bergeron-Cleary (born July 24, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was a centre and played his entire 19-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins. He was the team's captain from 2021 until he retired in 2023.

Bergeron played junior hockey for one season with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan. The Bruins then picked him 45th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He went straight from junior hockey to the NHL for the 2003–04 season. He also played for Team Canada in international games. He won gold medals at the 2004 World Championships and the 2005 World Junior Championships. He also won gold at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Bergeron is part of the Triple Gold Club. This means he has won the Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, and a World Championship gold medal. He won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. In the final game, he scored two goals, including the one that won the championship.

He was famous for his great two-way play. This means he was excellent at both offense and defense. Bergeron won the Frank J. Selke Trophy six times. This award goes to the best defensive forward in the NHL. This is more than any other player in NHL history. He was nominated for the award 12 times, which is also an NHL record. Many people think he is one of the best two-way forwards ever.

Playing Career Highlights

Early Hockey Days

Bergeron grew up in L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada. As a kid, he was a fan of the Quebec Nordiques hockey team. He played minor hockey, mostly at the A and AA levels. He also played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.

He was drafted by the Acadie–Bathurst Titan in the QMJHL in 2001. The next year, he played for the Séminaire St-François Blizzard. Then he joined the Titan.

Becoming a Boston Bruin (2003–2023)

Starting in the NHL (2003–2007)

The Boston Bruins drafted Bergeron 45th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In his first season, he played in the NHL YoungStars Game. He scored 39 points in 71 games as a rookie. His first NHL goal was against the Los Angeles Kings in October 2003. He also scored an overtime goal in the playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens.

Bergeron during the AHL All-Star Game in February 2005.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Bergeron played for the Providence Bruins. This was Boston's minor league team in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 61 points in 68 games there.

When the NHL started again, Bergeron led the Bruins in scoring. He had 31 goals and 73 points in the 2005–06 season. The Bruins decided to build their team around Bergeron. He was known for his great character on and off the ice. In the 2006–07 season, he had 70 points. He played most of that season with a shoulder injury.

Stanley Cup Win and "Perfection Line" Era (2007–2020)

In October 2007, Bergeron suffered a serious head injury. A player from the Philadelphia Flyers checked him from behind. Bergeron hit his head on the boards and was knocked out. He had a broken nose and a severe concussion. He missed the rest of the 2007–08 season to recover.

He returned to play in the 2008–09 season. In December 2008, he had another concussion. He missed a month of play but finished the season with 39 points.

In the 2009–10 season, Bergeron scored 52 points. The Bruins made the playoffs but lost in seven games.

Bergeron waves to the crowd during the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup victory parade.

In January 2011, Bergeron scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game). This was during the 2010–11 season. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Month. In the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vancouver Canucks, Bergeron scored two goals in Game 7. The Bruins won the game 4–0 and the series 4–3. This brought the Stanley Cup to Boston for the first time since 1972. Bergeron became the 26th member of the Triple Gold Club.

After the 2012 playoffs, Bergeron won his first Frank J. Selke Trophy. This award recognizes the NHL's best defensive forward.

In the 2012–13 playoffs, Bergeron was a hero. He scored the tying and winning goals in Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also scored the overtime winner in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the Stanley Cup Finals, he played through many injuries. These included a punctured lung, a separated shoulder, and a broken rib.

Bergeron with the Boston Bruins in February 2012

The Bruins signed Bergeron to an eight-year contract in July 2013. In the 2013–14 season, he scored 30 goals. The Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy for being the best regular season team. Bergeron won his second Frank J. Selke Trophy. He was also chosen as the cover athlete for the NHL 15 video game.

In February 2015, Bergeron scored his 200th career goal. He became the 17th player in Bruins history to reach this milestone. Even though the Bruins missed the playoffs, Bergeron won the Selke Trophy for the third time. This was his second straight win.

In the 2016–17 season, Bergeron played with a sports hernia injury. He had surgery after the playoffs. He played 79 games and scored 53 points. He was part of "The Perfection Line" with Brad Marchand and David Pastrňák. Bergeron won his fourth career Selke Trophy that season.

In January 2018, Bergeron scored four goals in one game. This included his first "natural hat trick" (three goals in a row). He reached 702 career points. He later broke a bone in his foot but returned to play. He finished the season with 63 points in 64 games.

The 2018–19 season saw Bergeron reach more milestones. He scored his 300th goal in December 2018. In February 2019, he played his 1,000th NHL game, all with the Bruins. He also reached 800 career points in March. He was nominated for the Selke Trophy for the eighth straight season. The Bruins made it to the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals but lost in Game 7.

In 2020, Bergeron was a Selke finalist for the ninth year in a row. The Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy again.

Captaincy and Retirement (2020–2023)

On January 7, 2021, Bergeron became the captain of the Boston Bruins. The previous captain, Zdeno Chára, had left the team.

At the end of the 2020–21 season, Bergeron was fourth on the Bruins' all-time scoring list. He had 917 points. He won the Mark Messier Leadership Award for his strong leadership and community work.

Bergeron in March 2014

In November 2021, Bergeron scored his second natural hat trick. He had a four-goal game against the Detroit Red Wings. In April 2022, he scored his 400th career goal with another hat trick. He became only the fourth Bruins player to score 400 goals for the team. The Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Bergeron won his fifth Selke Trophy, setting a new record.

In August 2022, Bergeron signed a one-year contract to return to the Bruins. In November, he scored his 1,000th NHL point. He got an assist on a goal by his longtime linemate, Brad Marchand. In 2023, Bergeron won his sixth Selke Trophy. This extended his own record. The Bruins had a great regular season, winning the Presidents' Trophy. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs. This was considered a big upset.

Bergeron announced his retirement from hockey on July 25, 2023. He played 19 seasons in the NHL.

International Play

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Canada
Winter Olympics
Gold	2014 Sochi
Gold	2010 Vancouver
World Championships
Gold	2004 Czech Republic
Canada Cup / World Cup
Gold	2016 Toronto
World Junior Championships
Gold	2005 United States
Spengler Cup
Gold	2012 Davos

After his first NHL season, Bergeron played for Team Canada. He joined them at the 2004 World Championships. He scored one goal and won his first gold medal with Canada.

The next year, Bergeron played for the Canadian national junior team. They competed in the 2005 World Junior Championships. He was playing in the AHL at the time due to the NHL lockout. Bergeron finished the tournament with 13 points in 6 games. He played on a line with future stars Sidney Crosby and Corey Perry. He scored a goal in Canada's 6–1 gold medal win over Russia. He was the leading scorer and earned MVP honors. He became the first player to win a men's gold medal before a junior gold medal.

Bergeron played for Canada again at the 2006 World Championships. He played on a line with Sidney Crosby again. He finished second in scoring for the tournament. He was invited to the 2007 World Championships but declined to recover from injuries.

In December 2009, Bergeron was chosen to play for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He was the only player chosen who hadn't been invited to the selection camp. He mainly played on the penalty kill and took defensive faceoffs.

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Bergeron played for HC Lugano in Switzerland. He also played for Canada at the 2012 Spengler Cup. Canada won gold, and Bergeron scored the first goal in the final game.

Bergeron won his second gold medal with Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He was also part of Canada's championship team at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was reunited on a line with Sidney Crosby for both events.

Personal Life

Patrice Bergeron's parents are Gerard Cleary and Sylvie Bergeron. His father is of Irish descent, and his mother is French-Canadian. His full legal name is Bergeron-Cleary, but he uses Bergeron for simplicity.

Bergeron is married to Stephanie Bertrand. They have four children together: Zach, Victoria, Noah, and Felix.

Career Statistics

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004	Canada	WC			9	1	0	1	4
2005	Canada	WJC			6	5	8	13	6
2006	Canada	WC	4th		9	6	8	14	2
2010	Canada	OG			7	0	1	1	2
2012	Canada	SC			4	1	4	5	4
2014	Canada	OG			6	0	2	2	4
2016	Canada	WCH			6	4	3	7	2
Junior totals					6	5	8	13	6
Senior totals					41	12	18	30	18

Awards, Honours, and Records

• Member of the Triple Gold Club
• Scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2011
• Voted the cover athlete for EA Sports' NHL 15 video game

Records

• First and only player to win the IIHF World Championship before the IIHF World U20 Championship
• Most Frank J. Selke Trophy wins in NHL history (6)
• Nominated for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for an NHL-record 12 straight seasons
• Frank J. Selke Trophy finalist for 12 consecutive seasons, the longest streak ever for a voted NHL Award in NHL history.
• Most playoff overtime goals in Boston Bruins history

See Also

• List of NHL players with 1,000 points
• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played