Patrice Bergeron doesn't have a flashy skill set that dominates highlight reels, but the Boston Bruins center does a bit of everything to help his team win games.
Bergeron has never been a finalist for the Hart Trophy -- the NHL's most valuable player award. However, there's no question his peers understand the immense value he adds to winning.
The Athletic recently released the results of a player poll it did this season that 198 players participated in. The first question listed was "Who is the best all-round player in the NHL today?" The results speak for themselves.
1) Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (48 percent of vote)
2) Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (25 percent)
3) Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins (11 percent)
4) Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers (four percent)
5) Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning (four percent)
These results aren't shocking by any means, but it's encouraging to see Bergeron's two-way prowess recognized in this type of fashion.
Bergeron is having one of his best offensive seasons with 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) in just 47 games. He's also excelling in the faceoff dot with a 57.4 win percentage and he's driving puck possession with an impressive Corsi-For percentage above 55 during 5-on-5 play. Bergeron yet again is a prime candidate for the Selke Trophy -- an award he's won four times.
The Bruins are playing like legitimate Stanley Cup contenders right now with a 14-game point streak and wins in 10 of their last 12 games. Bergeron is among the primary reasons for that success, and you can bet opponents are well aware of his presence whenever he hops over the boards for a shift.
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