Patrice Bergeron’s final hug on the ice on Sunday was reserved for Brad Marchand, his longtime linemate and friend. It was longer and tighter than the other hugs he shared with his teammates, and it brought Bergeron to tears as somber fans stood and cheered.
If it was Bergeron’s final moment in a Boston Bruins uniform, so ends a magnificent 19-year career that places him in the pantheon of great Boston athletes. He did not win as many championships as Bill Russell or Tom Brady. He was not a three-time most valuable player like Larry Bird. He was not as clutch as David Ortiz and did not change the game the way Bobby Orr did.