Patrice Bergeron addresses the rumors of a comeback.

In spite of the fact that Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron stepped away from the sport and made the decision to retire at the conclusion of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, there have been persistent rumors suggesting that a comeback may be in the cards for the former Bruins captain.

Those rumors gained quite a bit of traction last month when they were highlighted on the Spittin Chiclets podcast featuring former National Hockey League players Ryan Whitney and Paul "Buznasty" Bissonette.

Unfortunately for Bruins fans hoping to see Bergeron taking one last run alongside his fellow Bruins, it sounds like those rumors may have been overblown. The former Bruins captain addressed those rumors this week when speaking with Bruins insider Joe Haggerty about the possibility of a comeback.

"I understand [the comeback talk]. I’d been working out every weekday and I’d started [doing] a little skate with former [NHL] players on Fridays,” said Bergeron as per Haggerty. “I guess I knew that it could generate some talk. Why would I be on the ice if I wanted to retire? But people need to understand that this is a passion. I’m always going to love the game. So, for me to go out and enjoy a skate and enjoy those feelings again, it’s great."

And it would appear that adjusting to life outside of the NHL is what Bergeron's decision to resume skating is all about. The former captain of the Bruins admits that he could have kept playing for at least another year, but that other factors in his life, like family, are what ultimately led to his decision to retire for good.

"I thought it was funny," said Bergerion of the rumored comeback. "It is what it is. You can’t change rumors and people will always talk. When I did retire, I knew that I could have played another year. But I made that decision for what I thought was the best decision for me and for my family. It’s a physical sport. There are a lot of body parts that, when I get up in the morning, they are very achy. When I made the [retirement] decision, it was very real. I was not in between about it. That’s why I took so long. Because once I made a decision [to retire], I wasn’t going to be going back on it. I listened to my heart and followed my inside voice. That’s something I’ve done my whole life."

This should officially kill any rumors of a potential comeback for Bergeron, and I hope he enjoys his well earned retirement.