BOSTON – A familiar face joined two Bruins on the ice before practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday.
Patrice Bergeron is on the ice before Bruins practice working with Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minten.
Here’s a tip drill with Geekie. pic.twitter.com/d6pKlQ8kBk
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin9) March 27, 2026
Bergeron skated with Fraser Minten and Morgan Geekie, working on bumper and tip drills, but his influence goes beyond the pre-practice drills.
“It’s lots of good stuff,” Minten said after practice. “It’s kind of our second time we’ve done that with him. First time kind of doing the bumper stuff on the ice, trying to get some reps at that, and just listen to his insight. He obviously spent a lot of time doing it really well, so take the little things you can from that.”
“And then been watching some faceoff video with him, too, with us. Just trying to continue to improve. Same thing, he’s obviously one of the best faceoff guys when he played. Knows a lot more than I do, so just trying to listen and learn.”
Minten added he grew up watching Bergeron, even if he was not the 21-year-old’s favorite player. Aside from praising his bumper and faceoff ability, he also called the former captain an “unreal” resource.
Minten has 16 goals this season, the fifth-most on the Bruins’ roster. He has 32 points and was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for January after posting 14 (8-6–14).
Morgan Geekie, who leads the Bruins with 34 goals this season, also worked with Bergeron before practice.
He has 12 power-play goals, which also leads the team, but has not scored one since March 5.
“He was a staple in the bumper for a long time here. At least for me, kind of revolutionized how that was played,” Geekie said about Bergeron. “Being a threat to score as well, kind of supporting all over. So, just a different way to think about it and add some tools to our game. It’s always good when you have a legend like that kind of teaching some things.”
Geekie mentioned that he played the bumper before coming to Boston; he never played the flank until joining the Bruins.
Patrice Bergeron has not been a stranger to the organization since his retirement. He has joined NESN for the Unobstructed Views simulcast, he was present for both Zdeno Chara’s Hall of Fame induction and number retirement ceremony, and he was there when Marco Sturm was announced as the 30th head coach of the Boston Bruins.
This was not his first time at practice.
“He’s been here a bunch of times, you just didn’t know it,” Sturm said after practice. “He’s not here every day like Z (Zdeno Chara), but you know, because it’s Bergeron, the best in the business, and also having a good relationship. I try and get him in here once in a while just to give those guys a few tips and work on few stuff.”
Patrice Bergeron was on the ice with Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minten before practice
Sturm: “He’s been here a bunch of times, you just didn’t know it.”
“Because it’s Bergeron, the best in the business, and also having a good relationship, I try to get him in here once in a… pic.twitter.com/2lAoVTHiga
— Jack Studley (@jackstudley13) March 27, 2026
Sturm added that Bergeron was talking to players off the ice, too. It was not limited to just Geekie and Minten.
“I think that’s just great,” Sturm added. “I just want to take that opportunity to pick his brain because he’s the best.”
Earlier this season, the Bruins hired Zdeno Chara as a Hockey Operations Mentor and Advisor. Chara captained the Bruins before Bergeron and has spent this season helping and mentoring defensemen in the organization.
“It’s one of those organizations where guys seem to come back and want to kind of give back to everybody that’s still a part of it,” Geekie said. “So, speaks to the culture and type of organization it is.”
The Bruins’ organization is full of former players, from the front office to the coaching staff. Bergeron joins that long list while already making an impact on the ice.
Will Bergeron join the coaching staff?
“I’d have to ask him,” Sturm said. “But just my feel, I would say yes. Just not now. He’s way too busy… No, he knows it too. He’s very busy and taking care of his family. But at one point, yeah. I could see him to be back.”
The Bruins are now up against a back-to-back starting on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild (41-20-12), and continuing from the Buckeye State against the Columbus Blue Jackets (38-23-11) on Sunday.
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