Bergeron Signs One-Year, $2.5M Contract With Boston Bruins

It was considered something of a fait accompli for the entire summer, but Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has finally agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million for the 2022-23 season along with another $2.5 million in performance bonuses as well. So in essence it’s a $5 million contract for Bergeron with a $1 million signing bonus and a $1.5 million bonus when he hits 10 games played for next season.

Season 19: Coming Soon © pic.twitter.com/PyJihSgwZT

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 8, 2022

This all comes after Boston Bruins players past and present were all together over the last few weeks for the weddings for Tuukka Rask and Taylor Hall, as well as an upcoming wedding date for Weymouth native Charlie Coyle as well.

The structure for the contract helps the Boston Bruins utilize cap space for the upcoming season, but also passes the cost on to next season when the B’s will be facing incentive penalties for the Bergeron contract as well as a David Krejci contract that’s going to be similarly structured on a one-year deal with incentives.

The 37-year-old Boston Bruins captain had 20 goals and 65 points in his 18^th NHL season while capturing his NHL-record fifth Selke trophy and enters his 19^th NHL season with Boston ranked third in Bruins history in games played (1,216) and game-winning goals (74), fourth in goals (400), assists (582) and points (982).

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Quebec native also ranks second in Bruins history in playoff games played (167), playoff points (127), third in playoff assists (78) and tied for third in playoff goals (49) while having been to three Stanley Cup Finals in his career.

The Bergeron contract is great news for the upcoming season and reinforces that it’s going to be a “one last run” kind of thing with Bergeron signed, 36-year-old Krejci expected to sign as well and Pavel Zacha on tap for a contract with an Aug. 11 arbitration hearing date looming this week with the Bruins and the young center’s representation. It also gives the Boston Bruins a year to figure out the future at the center position with Bergeron and Krejci well into the twilight of their NHL careers even if they’ll both be expected to fill the top two center roles for this upcoming season.

Everybody expected Patrice Bergeron to return once it was revealed that the Boston Bruins captain was making phone calls to newly acquired B’s players as well as multiple conversations with new Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery heading into his first season behind the Boston Bruins bench.