Report: Patrice Bergeron isn't the only veteran star heading into retirement

With the Boston Bruins' incredible 2022-23 season ending abruptly last night, there's much left for to sort out this offseason. 

What's next?

Do the Bruins run it back again with the same squad? Will veterans Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci sign on again for one more shot?

In the case of Bergeron it doesn't appear so. He's been cryptic with reporters when asked about potential retirement and then last night when the Bruins were eliminated, Bergeron stayed out on the ice to hug every single one of his teammates. He then saluted the crowd and departed the ice at TD Garden, for what many feel will be the last time.

If this is indeed the end for Bergeron, it's been a fantastic career. At 37 years of age, with millions of dollars in the bank and with a Stanley Cup championship in his back pocket, no one would blame him for packing it in. Similarly, other veterans around the NHL are coming to terms about their future. Corey Perry looks like he's entirely cooked, to me. And what about Joe Pavelski? Brent Burns? Jeff Carter? These are all guys who will likely be taking a hard look at their post-playing days this upcoming offseason. 

New York Islanders forward Zach Parise has already stated that it's Isles or Bust for him. The 38 year old forward told Islanders reporter Stefan Rosner that if the Islanders don't want him back, he'll retire.

He put up a very respectable 21 goals and 34 points in 82 games with the Islanders this past season, his second full campaign with the team. Parise, of course, is mostly known for his time with the Minnesota Wild and the New Jersey Devils, but was bought out of his ridiculous, 13 year, $98 million contract by the Wild in the 2021 offseason. He signed a league minimum deal for $750,000 shortly after with the Islanders.

If this is indeed the end of the road for Parise he'll go down in history with 429 goals and 879 points in 1224 career regular season games. Not bad, not bad at all.