Bergeron Reveals Elbow Surgery, Says No Decision Yet on Future

BostonBruins.com - Patrice Bergeron revealed on Sunday afternoon that he recently had surgery to repair a tendon in his left elbow, while adding that the procedure has not affected his thinking regarding his future.
Boston's captain will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career next month and is taking time to assess what will come next for him and his family.

"It's the fact that my whole career I've had contract extensions or long-term contracts. I would head into the summers with that in the back of my mind, meaning that I know what I'm doing next year and all that stuff," said Bergeron, who was speaking after capturing his record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy. "Now I'm 36 and I don't have a contract and I can take a step back and for the first time in my life I get to just reflect on what I do want going forward and looking to the future; talk to my family and my wife.
"It's just more of that, the fact that I have that opportunity to do that and take a step back and take some time for myself and really know what I want. I don't think we have to look further than that, to be honest with you. That's the only reason."
Bergeron, who recently wrapped up his 18th season in the National Hockey League, had the elbow surgery on Tuesday and is expected to have a recovery period of 10 to 12 weeks. He said the ailment had bothered him for roughly the past two years.
"What it did, only, is it just delayed my decision-making process," said Bergeron, who will turn 37 on July 24. "I had some MRIs and meetings with [the doctors] and talks with them about what I should do and what not. That's the only thing I can say about that.
"I've said I needed time and I still think I have a lot of time in front of me to make that decision. I'm gonna make sure that I take all the time that I need to make the right one and that's it. Right now, I haven't really had time. It doesn't really change anything, no."

Bergeron is the latest in a growing group of Bruins to undergo offseason surgeries.
Longtime linemate Brad Marchand underwent successful hip arthroscopy on both hips on May 27 and is expected to have a six-month recovery. Defensemen Charlie McAvoy (left shoulder arthroscopic stabilization, six months), Matt Grzelcyk (right shoulder open stabilization, five months), and Mike Reilly (right ankle tendon repair and bone fragment removal, three months) all had surgeries on Friday.
"With that many guys and key players that are dealing with procedures and surgeries…I think they're all gonna miss some time early on in the season - you've got to ride the wave," said Bergeron. "I guess it comes down to another challenge. I think this organization and this team has seen many challenges for the past whatever [number of] years and even decades. To me, it's one of those things where it is what it is.
"There's been many years where there's been a lot of doubts and question marks around the Boston Bruins and how the team's gonna look and what's coming. Those things are handled in time and that's how I see it. Those are great players that are gonna be back. It's not like they're gonna miss the whole year.
"Again, changes and adjustments are things that you want to do from one year to the next, especially when you don't accomplish what you want to accomplish as a team or individually. Everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror and be better and find ways to be better."