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Bergeron: ‘I was going to say yes no matter what’ 10.08.10 at 8:34 am ET
By DJ Bean

PRAGUE — Patrice Bergeron boasted both a new contract (three years, $15 million) and optimism for the direction of the franchise as both he and general manager Peter Chiarelli adressed reporters in a press conference following Friday’s skate. Now 25, Bergeron will play out the last year of his current contract at a $4.75 million cap hit before coming in at $5 million in each of the next three seasons. Bergeron’s camp and Chiarelli negotiated the deal throughout the offseason, but the center made clear that he knew the outcome of the negotiations long before the agreement was reached.

” I knew it was going to get done, because at the end of the day I was the one who was going to say yes no matter what. I just wanted to stay in Boston and I think Peter and the Bruins knew it all along.”

Sitting alongside Bergeron, Chiarelli sang the center’s praises, summing hip his value to the team as being more than statistical output.

“He’s got a lot of elements to his personality, to his game, that are terrific, really,” Chiarelli said. “When you look at this work ethic in practice, look at him doing the drills, day to day showing up and getting them right and leading the charge, he’s a consummate professional and a terrific player and a terrific young man.”

With captain Zdeno Chara entering the final year of his contract, Bergeron and Tim Thomas will each have the highest salary cap hit on the team in the 2011-12 season with $5 million.

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  • deano

    I am very happy the Bruins resigned Bergeron. He has been one of my favorite players on the team since he first made the team as a surprise out of camp. I think he would have averaged around 70 points per season by now, if he did not take that cheapshot hit from Randy Jones which almost knocked him out of the game. He was a little timid after he first came back from the injury especially in the offensive zone corners. Towards the end of last season he seemed to regain his confidence, played more physcially, using his body to block the puck from defenders, and the points started to add up.

    I think Bergeron is one of the most versatile players on the Bruins. He is possibly the best center at taking faceoffs on the team, he is good all around offensively as he is clearly solid at passing, shooting, supporting the pass, being creative, good hands, and he has good speed. The only area he lacks in is toughness, even though he did pummel some Montreal Canadien in the playoffs in 08-09. Being only 25 with the amount of experience he has is almost unheard of and he should be core player for the Bruins for many years to come. He is versatile enough to play the point on the powerplay, and is one of the best defensively minded forwards on the team. Being a center in Julien’s system requires the center to defensively. Great on the penalty kill unit as well. Great signing, period.

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