BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Bruins are looking to put the gang back together on Monday by signing captain Patrice Bergeron and center David Craig, members of the 2011 Stanley Cup championship team, to one-year deals.
About three months after leaving the ice without any confirmation of his return, Bergeron signed a one-year contract with the Bruins. Hours later, the team announced that Kraić, who played in his native Czech Republic last season, would also return for the 2022-23 season.
“Obviously we are great friends and old friends,” Bergeron said in a teleconference with reporters. “I am very excited to be working with him and the other players.”
Bergeron won $2.5 million in incentives for $2.5 million and Krejci won $1 million with a potential $2 million more. Bergeron is fourth on the Original Six franchise’s all-time scoring list with 982 points, and Critich is ninth with 730.
“Of course I wanted to play, but I wanted to play for the Boston Bruins because I believe in this team,” Bergeron said. “The only motivation we need to leave this jersey in a better place is a historic team.”
Bergeron, 37, and Craig, 36, led the Bruins to the 2011 NHL championship and made two appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals. Boston lost in the first round of the year’s playoffs to the Carolina Hurricanes on May 14, and three weeks later the Blues fired Cassidy his coach.
Jim Montgomery was hired to replace Cassidy, and the new coach said at his inaugural press conference that five-time Selke Trophy winner Bergeron was his first call. Bergeron, who has not signed a contract and was thinking of retiring, said he is expected to return.
“So fingers crossed,” he said in July.
done.
“The fire, the lust and the passion were too strong for me to take that path now,” Bergeron told reporters. “I don’t think I’m ready to take the next step in my life. I still have some in the tank, but I have something to give.”
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Bergeron has 400 goals and 582 assists in 18 seasons, all with the Bruins, who selected him in the second round of the 2003 draft. Since then, he has established himself as a dominant two-way forward in the league and has become one of the most respected players in the game.
When he leaves, the Bruins are expected to retire his number 37 jersey, and he is very honored to be the 12th player. He’s likely to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on the first ballot as soon as he’s qualified, and not until at least 2026.
Craig has 215 goals and 515 assists in his 15 years in the NHL, and he did the same in Boston. He led the Bruins in scoring in his 2011 Stanley Cup, where he scored 12 goals and he scored 11 assists in 25 games. Playing for HC Olomouc in his home country last year, he led the team with 20 goals, 26 assists and 46 points in 51 appearances.
Bergeron is third in Bruins history with 1,216 games played and fourth in goals, assists and points. He is second in Bruins history with his 47 playoff goals and his 123 points.
Bergeron’s 11th consecutive season as a Selke finalist — including this year — is the longest record for a top-three NHL Award finish, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 10 consecutive MVP finalists. 9 trophies).
Bergeron played the 2021-22 season without a future contract for the first time in his career, scoring 25 goals with 40 assists and helping the Bruins reach the playoffs for the 14th time in his 18 seasons. rice field. They lost to the Hurricanes in seven games.
Bergeron was the last Boston player to leave the ice in Carolina, leading his teammates into the handshake row and giving each one a hug. rice field.
Brad Marchand, the second-longest-serving forward on the roster, said after the Game 7 loss, “That’s why he’s probably going to hurt more. Next year with him is an unknown.” I’ve done a lot for this group, I’ve made a lot of sacrifices and I wish I could have had a better run for him.”
Bergeron, Craig and Marchand are the only ones remaining on the Bruins’ roster from the 2011 Stanley Cup team. Longtime captain Zdeno Chara left as a free agent in 2020, while goalkeeper Tukka Rask ruled out a return from hip surgery mid-season.
The Bruins have David Pasternak, 25, on offense, Charlie McAvoy, 24 on defense, and Jeremy Swayman, 22, on net. Humphas Lindholm, 28, was acquired mid-season to bolster the defense, and Marchand, at 33, is still one of the league’s most dangerous scorers.
Losing Bergeron would have been the end of the most successful era in team history since the Big Bad Bruins of Hall of Famers Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Jerry Cheevers and John Basic. .
“He’s the backbone of our team. He’s clearly the biggest part of our team,” Marchand said after the playoffs. “So yeah, we want him back.” No matter what happened, he earned the right to make the decisions he wanted and spend as much time as he wanted.”
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