30 best NHL players of the 21st century: 18. Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron is a legend on the ice. The injuries he’s played through are constantly quoted years later to show how tough hockey players are. During the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, Bergeron was playing with broken ribs, a separated shoulder, torn rib cartilage, and a punctured lung. Despite that, he would split hospital visits with hockey games against the hard-hitting and high-flying Chicago Blackhawks.
Bergeron plays on a Bruins team where the team itself gets more publicity than the players (unless Brad Marchand does something stupid). He never got the publicity someone with his star power probably deserves, but it seems like he likes it that way.
Bergeron’s best attribute is his ability to be a dominant offensive player while also stopping the other team in its tracks. He’s a four-time Selke Trophy winner, tied with Bob Gainey for most of all time. He’s been the best two-way forward in the league for a long time, and he continues to be a force well into his 30s.
Looking at his advanced stats, Bergeron has had a Corsi percentage under 50 (which is considered average) once in his entire career, and it was his rookie season. Now, despite his advanced age, he is still closer to 60%. He’s played his entire career with the Bruins, and he’s still very talented on the ice. Bergeron will always be one of the best, and he has the hardware to back it up.