Patrice Bergeron's Former Agent Says He Deliberately Took Less Money on Previous Contract
Patrice Bergeron is the NHL's most valuable captain - except maybe McDavid, but that doesn't sound as enticing - and there is good reason for it. He embodies everything you want in a leader, plus he is an absolutely sensational hockey player.
He won his fifth Selke Trophy for the NHL's best defensive forward last season - most all-time - and this season, the Bruins have been the league's most dominant group despite a long list of injuries. Poll anyone around the NHL, they will tell you that Boston's locker room culture is the cream of the crop. That is Patrice Bergeron all day.
His former agent - now GM of the Montreal Canadiens - Kent Hughes detailed one aspect of what it means to lead in the NHL that not many are willing to do. According to Hughes, before Bergeron's previous contract was signed, the going rate for his services was north of $9 million per season; ~$2.5 million more than the $6.875 million to which he agreed.
Hughes explained the situation on the Raw Knuckles Pod with Chris Nilan:
Hughes says the Bergeron went into contract negotiations with the mentality that 'if I take a max-deal, we will never win.' Putting oneself second to the team's needs is what leadership is all about.
And Patrice Bergeron is the epitome of leadership.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 18 | 517 ANSWERS Patrice Bergeron's Former Agent Says He Deliberately Took Less Money on Previous Contract Is Patrice Bergeron a first-ballot Hall of Famer? | ||
| Yes, no question | 321 | 62.1 % |
| No, but he is a Hall of Famer | 101 | 19.5 % |
| He's not a Hall of Famer | 50 | 9.7 % |
| See results | 45 | 8.7 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
|
YESTERDAY
JUNE 6, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||