Patrice Bergeron talks future career in hockey, Bruins’ leadership

In less than a year, Patrice Bergeron will see his name engraved in the Hockey Hall of Fame and raise his No. 37 to the rafters of TD Garden.

It’s a fitting testament to Bergeron’s illustrious 19-year NHL career — all of which he spent with the Bruins.

Speaking to reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday, Bergeron said he is in no rush to continue his hockey career in either coaching or the front office.

“Not yet. I haven’t thought much about it,” Bergeron said. “I’m in dad mode, going from one activity to the next, or from one activity to the next, which I’ve really enjoyed. I am very grateful for that [it]. I know that at some point they will want to be with their friends and won’t want anything to do with their dad.

“So I’m trying to enjoy that part of it. Obviously hockey is something that means a lot to me. This organization means the world to me, too. So never say never. I don’t know when. I don’t know to what extent, and I don’t know what the role is, so it’s tough. I haven’t thought about it yet. I think that’s the real answer.”

Bergeron, 40, could finally follow in the footsteps of his longtime Bruins teammate, Zdeno Chara, who also received his invitation to the Hockey Hall of Fame (his No. 33 was retired by Boston) last year. ​

Chara is already plotting a bigger role in Boston’s front office, where the legendary defenseman currently serves as a hockey operations advisor and mentor for the Bruins.

But for now, Bergeron is more than happy to sit back and watch his former team from afar.

However, the Bruins have a lot of work to do this offseason if they intend to take another step forward after a short playoff run in 2025-26.

One of those offseason goals? Named a captain, with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy standing as the front runners to get a ‘C’ on their jackets.

Bergeron, who played alongside both Pastrnak and McAvoy before finally hanging up his skates in 2023, believes both skaters have come a long way and set valid examples as true team leaders for Boston.

“It’s been so amazing to see this transformation and this growth,” Bergeron said of McAvoy and Pasternak. “Obviously both guys had a lot of leadership qualities at a young age and were sponges and learned along the way. … I think the team is in good hands that way, and whatever decision they make, I think it’s going to be the right decision, the right one for the team.”

“I know they were both leaders. I think they know that whatever message you have on your journey — or if you don’t have one — they can always be a leader, you can always make an impact on your teammates, you can always make a difference as a role model for younger kids, and I think that’s something they already know.”

Predictably, Bergeron ignored talk of his overt impact in Boston as a franchise starter and ambassador for New England hockey — instead turning the question directed at him as a tribute to the support he’s received from the region for more than two decades.

“This place means a lot to me and my family,” Bergeron said. “I still haven’t mastered the accent yet, but I feel like I’m from Boston. … For the fans, I’m so grateful and thankful for everything you’ve done for me, the impact you’ve made, not only on the ice, but off the ice, the conversations.

“You guys welcomed me with open arms when I was an 18-year-old kid, never looked back and we were there when things were going well, we were there and supported me when things weren’t going well, and to me, that still means a lot. It’s a special place to play sports, it’s a special place to live, it’s a special place for our family, and it’s close to our hearts – because of the people and the impact they’ve had on us.”

Connor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.