It was nearly 11 months ago, last October 27, when Bruins star Patrice Bergeron was hit from behind by the Flyers’ Randy Jones. He was knocked unconscious, suffered a broken nose and a “Grade 3” concussion, and the rest of his season was done. At the time I truly believed Bergeron’s career was likely over. In fact, immediately following the hit I was nervous he would never walk again. But less than a year later the Bruins have begun their pre-season schedule and they have Patrice Bergeron back on the ice leading the way. Over the two seasons leading up to the injury Bergeron was arguably the best player on the team. He led the B’s with 73 points (including 31 goals) in 2005-06, and followed that up with 70 points in 2006-07. After playing just 10 games last season, if Bergeron can return to the form he had pre-injury the B’s may have landed a huge off-season acquisition after all: Bergeron. In their pre-season opener last night, an 8-3 pounding of Montreal, Bergeron looked like he never missed a minute, scoring a goal and adding 3 assists in the win. A year ago I was worried if he’d ever walk again, but today my only worry is how far the 23-year old potential superstar can carry the B’s this year.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Great for B's to Have Bergeron Back
It was nearly 11 months ago, last October 27, when Bruins star Patrice Bergeron was hit from behind by the Flyers’ Randy Jones. He was knocked unconscious, suffered a broken nose and a “Grade 3” concussion, and the rest of his season was done. At the time I truly believed Bergeron’s career was likely over. In fact, immediately following the hit I was nervous he would never walk again. But less than a year later the Bruins have begun their pre-season schedule and they have Patrice Bergeron back on the ice leading the way. Over the two seasons leading up to the injury Bergeron was arguably the best player on the team. He led the B’s with 73 points (including 31 goals) in 2005-06, and followed that up with 70 points in 2006-07. After playing just 10 games last season, if Bergeron can return to the form he had pre-injury the B’s may have landed a huge off-season acquisition after all: Bergeron. In their pre-season opener last night, an 8-3 pounding of Montreal, Bergeron looked like he never missed a minute, scoring a goal and adding 3 assists in the win. A year ago I was worried if he’d ever walk again, but today my only worry is how far the 23-year old potential superstar can carry the B’s this year.
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10 comments:
At the risk of sounding sappy, after witnessing that hit live I must say it's great for everyone to have him back...
I missed the game last night. What were the lines? Most importantly, who was Lucic lined up with?
After taking a hit like he did you do not sound sappy DK. I'm sure he is physically recovered from the hit otherwise the doctors would not have cleared him, but how do you think he is feeling mentally?
I'm not getting paid millions to play, but I am not sure I could step back on the ice again even at his salary.
LINEUP VS MONTREAL (8-3 WIN)
FORWARDS (LW-C-RW)
1.STURM-BERGERON-KESSEL
2.AXELSSON-KREJCI-WHEELER
3.MARCHAND-SOBOTKA-THORNTON
4.REICH-THOMPSON-BITZ
DEFENSE
1.PENNER-WARD
2.STOKES-FERENCE
3.ALBERTS-MCQUAID
=====================
LINEUP VS NYI (2-1 OT LOSS)
FORWARDS (LW-C-RW)
1.LUCIC-SAVARD-RYDER
2.MARQUARDT-SAUVE-KARSUMS
3.LEHTONEN-HAMILL-KNACKSTEDT
4.SCHAEFER-YELLE-NOKELAINEN
DEFENSE
1.HUNWICK-WIDWMAN
2.LASHOFF-BODNARCHUK
3.STUART-EGENER
MY BEST GUESS FOR THE LINEUP...
1.LUCIC-SAVARD-RYDER
2.STURM-BERGERON-KESSEL
THESE 9 WILL BATTLE FOR THE FINAL 6 FORWARD SPOTS......
AXELSSON-KREJCI-WHEELER
SCHAEFER-YELLE-NOKELAINEN
MARCHAND-SOBOTKA-THORNTON/REICH
DEFENSE
1.CHARA-WARD
2.WIDEMAN-FERENCE
3.ALBERTS-STUART
GOALIES
1.THOMAS
2.FERNANDEZ
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing Axelsson get dealt. I like both Nokaleinen and Sobotka and would like to see both stick with the big team. I also have big hopes for Wheeler but have no personal view to base that on.
Time for PJ to go I agree--end of an era, but for $ he's making and what he's capable of at this point in his career, you can save 750K and not lose anything w/ one of the young guys taking his role....I will forever cherish my PJ axleson signed and designed Christmas ornament that I won in a silent auction at the B's last game before xmas about 8 years ago...same game that renee rancourt annually belts out christmas carols at intermission. Good times. What percentage of the time that Renee sings the anthem do you think his blood alchohol is over the legal limit? I'm thinking 90%?? Gotta love him though....
I was at one of those Christmas games. Renee's only a little buzzed when he sings the anthem but by the time he comes out to sing carols he's smashed! Great stuff!
Going back to Lucic though...I love the idea of him skating with Savard and Ryder.
But what about if he was with Bergeron & Kessel (keep all the young guys together). Then put Sturm with Savard/Ryder. Sturm would bring good speed to that line.
Great to see Bergeron back. I will be holding my breath every time he takes a hit this year, but I can't wait to see him score his first goal or get his first helper.
I think the B's did the right thing and put Bergeron's long term health in front of the team last year when he wanted to play in the playoffs. I hope they continue to do the same in the future.
I still feel like Randy Jones got off way too easy. I know he says it was an accident (what else is he going to say?), but I'd like to see somebody deck him this year.
If you go back and look at the hit again on Youtube it is truly a scary couple of minutes watching him lay motionless on the ice.
While I don't think Randy Jones is an angel by any means, consensus among NHL players seemed to be that Bergeron left himself particularly vulnerable on that hit. Not that it wasn't dirty, but that bergeron shouldn't have put himself in such an dicey position. Don't get me wrong, if it happened to me I'd have been pissed, but I think that there are many other hits that happen like that regularly and it's just a 5 min major and game misconduct. bergeron's being 2 feet away from the boards and at a level that exposed him to the edge of the boards where they meet the glass made this hit that much worse, but it's not like jones lined him up knowing that this was where his face was going to end up. dirty hit--yes--one where he had intentions of potentially ending bergeron's career, no. not just flyers players who felt that way.
doesn't make it any less of an impressive comeback for bergeron and i can't wait for him to take that next step this year...he needs to be able to create offense at even strength to do that.
I believe I made several phone calls during that time telling people "turn on the B's, I think Patrice Bergeron is paralyzed". I wasn't exaggerating, I really thought so. Gordie Kluzak was so emotional he could barely speak in between periods and he started talking about Norman Levaeille. It was crazy stuff. And I don't think Jones meant to do what he did...but he did something that easily COULD do what it did because it was so dirty. I agree with WJ, he seemed to get off pretty easy. Especially when you see some of the other penalties that have been dished out in the NHL in recent years. I also just think the Flyers in general are a really dirty team.
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