Patrice Bergeron is not ready to confirm if he will be returning for a 19th season and is still contemplating his future, the Boston Bruins captain said in an interview with TVA Sports.
The 36-year-old won the Selke Trophy this season for a record fifth time while scoring 25 goals and 40 assists. He is fourth on most of the Bruins' all-time lists, including goals (400), assists (582) and points (982), and is third on all-time games with the team at 1,216.
Bergeron has helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final three times, winning the title in 2011.
This season, the Bruins finished with a 51-26-5 record and 107 points to earn the top wild-card seed before being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Since being eliminated, the team surprisingly fired head coach Bruce Cassidy to start the off-season and has since hired Jim Montgomery as his replacement. The club has also announced that a number of players will undergo surgery, keeping some out for part of next season:
• Brad Marchand (Hip — six months)
• Charlie McAvoy (Shoulder — six months)
• Matt Grzelcyk (Shoulder — five months)
• Mike Reilly (Ankle — three months)
Bergeron had off-season elbow surgery but he is expected to be ready for training camp.
