Murphy: Anything Is Possible, But A Bergeron Return Unlikely

Could former Boston Bruins captain and longtime center Patrice Bergeron be coming out of retirement less than a year after retiring?

The NHL trade deadline isn’t until March 8, but apparently, the NHL silly rumor season has already begun and Patrice Bergeron found himself in the eye of the storm on Wednesday afternoon. The highly successful and popular Spittin Chiclets Podcast set Bruins and NHL social media ablaze, stating that they believe Bergeron is ramping up for a return and one last shot to win the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins for a second time.

“I’m hearing that ‘El Capitan’ might be making a comeback,” co-host and NHL on TNT analyst Paull Bissonnette said.

Patrice Bergeron making a comeback?! #RumorBoys are hearing so.

Presented by @pinkwhitney.

📺: https://t.co/UDcWRbwriS pic.twitter.com/vDHIub1i7z

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 17, 2024

“This is ultimate rumor, boys; ultimate rumor!” co-host and former NHL and Boston University defenseman Ryan Whitney replied. “But apparently. …apparently, he’s been skating around here a little bit. Now, then we get word he skates a little bit just to stay fresh for the alumni games.”

“Which I didn’t believe,” Bissonnette replies.

“Which you’re probably 20 years younger than most of the guys playing in the alumni games,” Whitney pointed out. “But he’s a professional. He’s a workhorse, so maybe he is, but if Patrice Bergeron’s out there skating around, looking at maybe a February comeback, can you imagine the Bruins fans?”

Both Whitney and Bissonette were speaking tongue and cheek and made it clear that they were just spitballing a rumor, but that rumor spread like wildfire and had plenty of Bruins fans thinking there is a serious chance that Bergeron will be playing for the Bruins again this season.

Why not Murph? It could happen. He’s all healed up, a Feb/March return. What a deadline acquisition!

— 240norly (@meatballz15) January 17, 2024

Just to make sure that this was simply a rumor, this puck scribe called two sources close to Bergeron on Wednesday afternoon.

“That’s pretty funny, but no, not happening,” the first source said. “I would be absolutely stunned. If that’s why he’s been skating, and not for the reasons stated, then he’s doing a great job of hiding the real reason.”

The second source agreed with yours truly that if Bergeron really wanted to make one last run at the Stanley Cup, then why would he have retired after being part of arguably the biggest choke job in Boston Bruins franchise history?

“Do you know how bad he probably wanted to come back and redeem himself and the team, and yet he still retired?” the source asked rhetorically. “Why retire still and then change your mind? I don’t think ‘Bergy’ wants to be another Brett Favre. He’s got too much class and respect for the game.”

When Bergeron retired last July, and all the way through multiple public appearances since, he has reiterated that he is at peace with his decision to retire.

“I’m in a good place. I’m at peace. I know it was the right decision for myself and my family,” Bergeron told The Athletic on Nov. 22.

Bergeron earned that peace, and his family earned the time they have with him now. Knowing him the way I got to covering his whole career, Bergeron is a man of his word.