With the Bruins’ historic season up in smoke by way of a gut-punch Game 7 loss, the mysterious and closely-guarded injury that Patrice Bergeron dealt with during the Bruins’ disappointing playoff run was finally revealed.

“I have a herniated disc in my back,” Bergeron revealed in a postgame meeting in front of his stall in the Boston locker room. “So that’s why I missed the four games and tried to rush come back, and that’s it, so yeah.”

• The injury, which was described as ‘manageable’ at the time both internally and externally, occurred in the Bruins’ regular-season finale up in Montreal. Bergeron, who hails from Quebec City, told the Bruins that he wanted to play in that game as a final tune-up for the playoffs. The 37-year-old captain also had friends and family down in Montreal for the game, and with this potentially being the last year of his illustrious career, there was an element of Bergeron wanting to play in front of them one more time. It’s also worth noting that Bergeron’s father has been battling cancer, giving extra meaning to what could’ve very well been his last game in Quebec.

  Speaking earlier in the series, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said that he had no second guesses about letting Bergeron play in that game, and would let Bergeron do it again if he had a chance at a re-do.

  Bergeron himself called the incident that led to the injury a “fluke play.”

• 

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 30: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins waves to fans before exiting the ice after Florida Panthers defeat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime of Game 7 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• Entering the postseason, the Bruins outwardly noted that Bergeron was dealing with an illness. It was said by the coach, the general manager, and even Bergeron’s teammates leading up to Game 1. And while that seemed to be the case, the narrative around sickness vs. injury changed as soon as you saw Bergeron laboring in his first on-ice session, and Montgomery eventually noted that it was an injury that was keeping Bergeron out of action.

  Bergeron ultimately ramped up his work in Boston while the Bruins swept their two-game trek to Florida, and felt good enough to return to action in Game 5. And despite scoring in his first game back and winning 52 of his 74 faceoffs (a staggering 70.3 percent success rate), Bergeron did not provide the on-ice lift to push the B’s over the Panthers, as Boston dropped all three games with Bergeron back in the lineup.

  “It’s stiff,” Bergeron said of how his back felt throughout the series. “But you know, it’s definitely not something I’m going to use as an excuse. It is where it is, and everyone battles with a lot of things during the playoffs. And it’s just unfortunate the way that it happened.”

• 

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 30: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins hugs Brad Marchand #63 before exiting the ice after Florida Panthers defeat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime of Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• Bergeron confirmed that he will not need offseason surgery for the injury, but it remains to be seen just what his plans for the 2023-24 NHL season are as of right now.

  Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the stunning defeat, Bergeron by all means admitted that it was too early to make any definitive statements on his future.

  “I gotta take some time and talk with the family and go from there,” Bergeron offered. “Right now, it’s hard to process anything. Obviously, we’re shocked and disappointed.”

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