The big milestones, the great accomplishments, the signature moments are well documented.

Patrice Bergeron’s improbable start came as an 18-year-old on Oct. 8, 2003. He suffered a near career-ending injury in 2007. Won a Stanley Cup in 2011. Added two Olympic gold medals for Team Canada in 2010 and 2014. He’s a four-time Selke Trophy winner.

Now Bergeron, 33, is set to play his 1,000th game for the Bruins on Feb. 5 against the New York Islanders at TD Garden. He has experienced nearly everything possible in pro hockey. Those big achievements are all important, but it is the smaller, everyday successes that intertwine to form the heart of a career that will go down as one of the best in Boston sports history.

Here are the stories of those other moments that form the foundation of a career that will likely end at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The beginning in Boston

Under the watchful eye of general manager Mike O’Connell and first-year NHL coach Mike Sullivan, the Bruins drafted Bergeron in the second round (No. 45 overall) in 2003. He was 18, spoke only French and was playing for Acadie-Bathurst of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins), Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes) and Nathan Horton (Florida Panthers) were selected with the first three picks of that draft.

Mike O’Connell: It was a long time ago (laughs). Of course, you never know what you’re going to get. You have ideas, but Patrice was high on our list right from the get-go. I have to give credit to three important people drafting him – Jeff Gorton, Daniel Doré and Nikolai Bobrov. They were the three that probably saw him the most and they had recommended him for the first round. We thought we would have a chance at the second round, just based on he was injured during his junior year, so there wasn’t as many showings, but those three really pushed for him hard. You rely on your scouts, and rely on the people you trust.

The Bruins selected defenseman Mark Stuart in the first round (No. 21 overall) but O’Connell was trying to move up in the draft for a chance to pick forward Zach Parise, who went to the New Jersey Devils at No. 17. Fortunately for the Bruins, Bergeron was still available at No. 45.

Patrice Bergeron: It was obviously exciting. You never know what to expect. You talk to a few teams and then you don’t know where that stands. You don’t know if it’s positive, or if they like you enough to draft you. I wasn’t expecting it, but I was hearing the second round was a possibility, so I was getting nervous at that time. I was excited (when his name was called) and it was the start of a dream coming true, basically. It was the start, but I had so much more work ahead. It was fun. It was definitely a special day.

Training camp

When Bergeron arrived at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Mass., for training camp, he was given the nondescript No. 56, as no one really had any idea the impact he would have right away for the Bruins.

Patrice Bergeron as a rookie in the 2003-04 season. (Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

Mike Sullivan: It seems like yesterday he was an 18-year-old kid just coming to the rookie camp. I remember it as plain as day. I remember asking, “Geez, who is this kid? He looks like a pretty good player and maybe we should bring him to the big camp.” So, we bring him to the big camp and all of us looked around at each other, saying “he’s a pretty good player maybe we should play him in a couple of exhibition games.” We played him in almost every exhibition game and at the end of it we all looked at each other and said, “Geez, this kid deserves to be on the team and let’s see how he does.”

Bergeron: The scout, Daniel Doré, was the Quebec scout back then and he told me, “You’re doing some good things. They like what you’re doing, so keep it up. I’m not going to say you’re going to make the team, but you’re doing more than what they were expecting. Don’t feel like you don’t belong.” It was something like that and it stuck with me to roll up my sleeves and work even harder to try to make it.

Scott Gordon had been an assistant under Sullivan in Providence, but when Sullivan was promoted to Boston, Gordon took over the coaching duties for Providence. Gordon participated in the rookie and main training camps in 2003.

Scott Gordon: I do remember the talk with (Bruins scout) Scott Bradley and how excited he was about (Bergeron). I remember the talk about, is he going to be old enough, strong enough to play in the NHL at 18? I remember everybody almost waiting for him to do something that was going to show that he wasn’t going to be able to make the Bruins as an 18-year-old. As it played out, he ended up making the team as a winger and eventually worked his way to center as things changed with the team.

Andrew Raycroft, Bruins goalie: He was impressive right from Day 1, especially back in 2003-04 when second-round, 18-year-old players didn’t play; you just didn’t even get a chance. He’d show up and have a great exhibition game, then another one, and another. Then it was like, “Wow, this kid is here.” He was on the second line that season, making a huge difference. It’s not like 18-year-olds now when they get a chance. He really had to impress, fight and claw for that spot back then.

Teams have a nine-game window to decide whether or not to keep a player on an entry-level contract or send him back to the AHL or junior hockey.

Sullivan: We were all waiting for his game to decline. We weren’t sure if he was playing on adrenaline, or if he was overachieving because he was a young kid and just excited. He ended up making the team out of training camp and we were watching his game every day. We’ll see if his game declines, and at the nine-game mark is when you have to make that decision whether you keep him or not and his game never declined. He was a guy that got better and better every day that he practiced and every game he played.

O’Connell: Second-rounders very rarely make it right off the bat. It’s all about the first-rounders. He came in the first day and he was really good. He came in the second day and was really good. He came in the third day and he was really good. Every day he was really good. As management we think we know, but it’s the players who know who’s good and who’s bad before we do, because they’re playing with them; they’re on the ice. They can see the little things. They can see the little subtleties. (Management) sees it but it takes time. Players see it immediately, especially the good players. Patrice was able to become a very good player quickly, so we couldn’t send one of our best players back to junior, because what kind of message would that send to our team that you’re not trying to win?

Bergeron: I’d be lying to you if I said I was expecting to make the team as soon as I came in. I was drafted in the second round and I was trying to leave a really good impression and have the scouts, coaches and GM remember my name, and then go back and have a good year in junior. Once I got there, and after a few games I was supposed to go back to junior after the Montreal (exhibition) game and then I scored in overtime. They told me I was coming back and I played the next game.

Bergeron earned a spot on the roster as a rookie. Veteran Marty Lapointe asked Bergeron if he wanted to keep the No. 56 sweater. Bergeron was just happy making the team, so asking for a different number was the last thing on his mind. Lapointe asked Bergeron: If you could pick one number, what would it be? Since Bergeron wore No. 37 in junior hockey, he chose that. When he walked into the locker room on opening night against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden, No. 37 was hanging in his stall. Lapointe is now the director of player personnel for the Canadiens, and he understands how unique of a player Bergeron was.

Marty Lapointe: It’s very rare. I had to go through some obstacles because I had that sense of entitlement. I’m a first-rounder and it’s going to be easy. I went through buying the sports car; what 18-year-old (pro athletes) normally do, because you haven’t made any money and all of a sudden you have the money. You think it’s going to be easy because everywhere you played it was easy. But this guy, he didn’t buy a sports car at first. He didn’t take it lightly. He never thought it was going to be easy. He wouldn’t drink and there’s something to be said for that, because his focus was really on hockey and he didn’t need to drink to fit in.

Bergeron: The first year was like, you come to training camp and everything is new. Obviously for me, it was the language barrier as well and you’re just trying to fit in, learn as much as possible and be a sponge. I started with rookie camp and when you get to main camp that’s when it really hits you, because you see all the veterans coming and the big names, the guys you were watching on TV the year before. So that was a surreal moment – a big eye-opener. I was more trying to make a name for myself and leave an impression and go from there.

Bergeron, a native of Quebec, did not speak English when he arrived at his first training camp. Lapointe’s presence was important for Bergeron in every aspect, but in one sense he was a little too helpful — they spoke French when they lived together, which didn’t help him to fully learn English. It took Bergeron until he was 22 to feel comfortable speaking English in front of his teammates. He never took lessons and learned the language on his own.

Bergeron: As much as Marty was awesome, and he was the best thing ever, but as far as learning English it wasn’t the greatest because I was speaking French a lot at home and with his family. The next year I was on my own in Providence and that’s when I had to learn English and really got better.

When Bergeron returned to Boston after the 2004-05 lockout, he felt a lot more comfortable with the language.

Bergeron: One-on-ones were fine, because even if I messed up I felt like it was easier, or guys would help me with it. I don’t think anyone judged me; it was more in my own head. I just felt not as confident, standing up and talking all that much. I was named assistant captain when I was 21, so that year was a big learning experience for me. I had to come out of my shell because I was a leader now, so I learned a lot that year. I learned from (Zdeno Chara) and (Glen Murray) and some of the older guys. The next year I felt a lot more comfortable and the year after that I was fine.

Chara speaks nine languages and was impressed how quickly Bergeron learned English.

Zdeno Chara: I wish he would’ve helped me with French (laughs). It’s harder for some guys to adjust to English, but Bergy learned it right away and was committed to blend in with English. Now, he’s just as comfortable speaking in English as he is with French. It shows his commitment.

Rookie season and Calder Trophy race

Bergeron registered 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points, including a plus-5 rating in 71 games as a rookie. He posted three assists before he scored his first NHL goal against the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-3 victory at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 18. Bergeron scored against the Kings’ Roman Cechmanek for a power-play goal to tie the game at 3-3 at 17:28 of the third period.

Bergeron: It was one of those goals that I’ll never forget. I’m not going to lie, NESN kind of helped a few weeks ago, showing me. There was one play leading up to the goal that I didn’t remember. I got the puck on one corner, I win a battle and I rim it to Sammy (Sergei Samsonov) who goes to (Brian) Rolston at the point. He takes the middle and shoots and Marty (Lapointe)’s in front, and by that time I’m going back to my spot on the other side from the goal line. I got the rebound and tapped it in. I didn’t remember the battle and the rim, but I did remember that Sammy had it and he went to Rollie, who shot it through from the point and I just got the rebound.

Andrew Raycroft, left, and Bergeron participated in a rookie game at All-Star weekend in 2004. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Raycroft won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie that season after posting a 29-18-9 record, along with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 57 games. Prior to that year, the then-23-year-old had played a total of 21 games in parts of three seasons. Bergeron was in the race for the majority of the season, but he suffered a groin injury near the midway point and missed nine games.

Raycroft: He was 18 and I had been around the organization for a little bit, so there was more Patrice talk, especially early on through the first three or four months. It was him and I, and probably Michael Ryder (Montreal Canadiens) for most of the season (in the Calder race). Plus, since it was Montreal and Boston that was always the talk. I had a good January-February and (Bergeron) got injured, so it separated us a little bit. Certainly, he was the front-runner for most of the season.

Bergeron: (Raycroft) was playing so well. It was amazing how good he was that year. It was just fun to have him back there. He was my roommate (on the road) that year too. He was a great guy. I didn’t feel like it was any sort of a race because he was so, so good that year it wasn’t even close. It was fun to be part of it and be a rookie with him.

The lockout and the AHL

When the NHL shut down for the 2004-05 season, which would have been Bergeron’s sophomore year, he had the choice of returning to his junior team, playing in Europe, or playing in the AHL for Providence. He chose Providence. He finished with 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points in 68 games.

Bergeron: It was really important. My junior team wanted me to go back. I asked to go to Providence. I didn’t have to because I could have gone to Europe, but I asked to go to Providence because I felt that was probably the best thing for me for my development and it was. I was staying close to Boston and continued to learn the English language. The AHL, especially that year with all the guys that went and played, it was a very good league. It’s such a grind, such a battle. Every night everyone wants to make a name for themselves and it’s a great learning curve and experience for everyone to live it, realize and also to be thankful for what I had the year before. I was with younger players as well, so it was fun for the social life off the ice and it was good to get to know them for the next year when they came up and played in Boston.

Gordon: Some guys stand out because they have an unbelievable shot, or some guys stand out because you see their speed and skating is so dynamic. Sometimes it will be quickness. Sometimes it’s just sheer hard work. With Bergy, the more you watch him you just see that everything he does, he does so well. Any time I’ve read an article about Patrice Bergeron that talks about a new player coming to the organization, they always say, “I did not realize how good Patrice Bergeron was.” That’s how it was for me when Bergy came to Providence.

Providence reached the Eastern Conference finals of the Calder Cup playoffs before losing to the Philadelphia Phantoms. By that point, Gordon didn’t have to tweak any parts of Bergeron’s game. Bergeron would do things after practice that would surprise his coach.

Gordon: He’s such a student of the game. I can remember (goalie coach) Bobby Essensa being in Providence and working with the goalies. Bergeron was in the corner, on one knee and learning what the goalies were doing. As I was watching him, I found it interesting that he was engaged off to the side in what they were doing, to a point where he was trying to figure out what the goalies were doing and how that movement could impact him in a situation when a goalie is making a particular save. Where’s the hole? Or what does it lead to when a goalie does that? He was studying what was going on. He had a vested interest in what was being taught there. Here’s a guy who is never going to play goal, but he’s trying to get better in an area that might help him. There’s just so much more to his game than just his ability to put up points.

His time in Providence marked the season Bergeron became teammates and close friends with Brad Boyes. The Bruins acquired Boyes, a first-rounder (No. 24 overall) in the 2000 draft, from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Jeff Jillson on March 9, 2004. Boyes played 17 games for Providence that spring, before he and Bergeron played a full season together there.

Brad Boyes: For Bergy, he had played in the NHL and then he comes down to the minors, so it’s almost a step down. To see how he conducted himself and how he treated everybody, there was no “I’m better than you” or “I shouldn’t be here.” Not a second of that type of attitude. He just came down, did his job, played his game and got along with everybody. In the minors, things are a little bit different. You might go out a little bit more and party, but he didn’t get caught up in certain things because he had a job to do. At the same time, he didn’t seclude himself at all. He was always part of the team. The maturity he had at 19 years old was one of the more mature guys I had seen at that age. It paid off because he’s still one of the more respected guys in the NHL, but that started when he was 18 and I saw that this guy is such a respectful, and respected guy, and he earned it.

World Junior Championship

During that season in Providence, Bergeron told the Bruins organization that he wanted to represent Canada at the World Junior Championship in Grand Forks, N.D. The Bruins granted the request and Bergeron led the tournament with 13 points en route to a gold medal.

Bergeron: Playing in that tournament meant a lot. It was important for me to go there. It’s another one of those that I asked to go if I could, and obviously Boston was nice enough to let me. I knew I was missing a lot of games, I think I missed 12 games (in Providence) just for that tournament. It was a big commitment for Boston, but I felt it was something I was watching on TV growing up and every time around Christmas I was watching the juniors and I wanted to be a part of it.

Team Canada’s roster was loaded with future NHL stars, including Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, Brent Seabrook, Dion Phaneuf, Shea Weber, Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

Bergeron: I kind of knew some of the guys that were going to be a part of it, so I also had an idea that we were going to be pretty good. You want to be a part of a winning team like that. It was a no-brainer. It was so much fun. I can’t say enough about that tournament. It’s a quick tournament, but still, there were some pretty special players, and special guys that turned out to have some amazing careers. We became friends and it was a pretty close group for a two-week tournament.

At the time, Sidney Crosby was still playing junior hockey and was a few months shy of becoming the No. 1 overall selection by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 draft. There was already so much hype surrounding Crosby that he absorbed much of the spotlight during the WJC. That was when Crosby and Bergeron became friends.

Sidney Crosby: It was great. I probably annoyed the crap out of him, trying to ask questions about what it was like playing in the NHL and trying to learn as much as I could. He was great with me. Obviously, we’ve played together a number of times since then, but it’s always funny to look back to that first time. I probably asked him 1,000 questions that entire time, but he was great to me and it was a really fun tournament. We roomed together (during camp). That was back when (management) would call you early in the morning to tell you if you made the team or not, so I knew if the phone rang it was for me and not him. It was just a fun experience to play with a guy that had already played a season in the NHL and we were close in age, so it was fun to be able to relate to that and just hear his whole (NHL) experience.

Bergeron, left, with Sidney Crosby, center, and Corey Perry at the World Junior tournament on Jan. 4, 2005. (Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

When Bergeron returned to Providence, he was elated with his gold medal and the fact that he became quick friends with Crosby. Bergeron later admitted he was so nervous that it took him until the end of the tournament to ask Crosby for an autographed stick. Bergeron still has it.

Gordon: By the time Bergy got back, the team was playing better, so everybody took a step in the right direction. (Goalie) Hannu (Toivonen) started playing better after being a little erratic at the start of the year. Because the team was playing better, Bergy became more noticeable, probably because of the confidence from the World Juniors. Plus the fact that he was getting the opportunity to play pro hockey with men that weren’t NHL players, so he probably had a little more time to do things and figure out what he needed to get better at, at a level lower level than the NHL. He evolved as a player during that time from his own identification of different things.

Learning the business

Before Bergeron and longtime linemate Brad Marchand became one of the best forward combinations in the NHL, Bergeron first learned what chemistry was all about when he played with Boyes in Providence. That continued in Boston, with the pair working together as Bergeron made his mark on the NHL.

Bergeron: Brad Boyes, definitely. I had some really good chemistry my first year when (Michael) Nylander came in and (we played) with (Samsonov). That was really good. But, me and (Boyes) really clicked, and we also clicked off the ice.

Boyes: It was awesome. It made the game more fun, because not only do you get to play the game and play in the NHL, but you’re playing with one of your closest buddies. We roomed together. We played together during that lockout year in Providence. Now, we’re in the NHL, and he was obviously a better player than I was. He was one of our go-to guys and I had to work my way up, and when I did connect with him and got on the same line, we clicked. It made it so much more fun, because you’re looking for him and he’s looking for you; things are working out when you score. You’re happy for him, just like he’s happy for you. It steps it up a level and it makes the game more enjoyable. It makes you want to go a little bit harder. At the same time, it’s a little more effortless as well. That year, it wasn’t one of the most fun years because it was my first year in the NHL, it was because I was not only able to play with him, but I had a friend like Bergy that I was able to share it with.

Bergeron with Brad Boyes, right, in 2006. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The Bruins traded Boyes to the St. Louis Blues for Dennis Wideman on Feb. 27, 2007. It was that moment when Bergeron learned the NHL is a business. He was devastated and he didn’t hold his disappointment and frustration back.

Bergeron: Yeah, it was difficult. It was hard to see him go. Later on, I realized (it’s a business) but at first I was shook by it. I wasn’t really happy with it and it was sad to see him go, but it’s the business and you have to learn from everything. That was one of those learning moments. Later on, you realize you create so many friendships with that too; it’s not always a bad thing. You get to know so many quality guys and people that it makes up for it in the end.

Boyes: It was a bit of a surreal feeling. It was an out-of-body experience. It’s an odd feeling and it happened to me a couple of times up to that point already, so I had a bit more of an understanding of it because I went through it. The years before that I never played with somebody that I had that close of a relationship with, so that’s what made it harder. We roomed together. We always went to dinner together. When we were at home and lived in our separate places, we still hung out all the time. So, moving to a new team and going to the unknown without one of your closest buddies with you, you wonder, “Am I going to connect with other guys? Am I going to have chemistry with other guys?” I had been through it a little bit, but never went from a team where I was as close with somebody and that was tough to do.

An almost career-ending injury

In the years following the lockout, Bergeron established himself as a strong Bruins regular, crossing the 70-point threshold in the 2005-06 and the 2006-07 seasons. But nearly as soon as he had made his name in the NHL, his entire career was in question after he suffered a severe concussion on Oct. 27, 2007, when he was hit by the Philadelphia Flyers’ Randy Jones. The injury cost Bergeron 72 games that season and he admitted it wasn’t until 2009 that he began to feel like himself on the ice.

Bergeron is taken off the ice after a concussion in 2007. (Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Chara: It was terrible. Any time you see someone suffer and in pain and going through a really tough time and just trying to live a regular life, we were scared. We were all really worried about him. I went to see him a few times and it was a struggle for him to live a regular life. He wanted to be practicing and playing but that wasn’t possible.

NESN play-by-play broadcaster Jack Edwards was high above the ice when Bergeron was injured. Edwards admits it was difficult to call the game when play resumed.

Edwards: That was my worst day at work – ever. You call hockey games because you love the sport and to see a young man of that quality, still in the very early stages of his career, have his life in danger; I actually thought when they cut the visor off that he was going to die right there on the ice. I really thought so, and if you listen to the (broadcast), which is something I’ve only seen once, I think we might’ve said 50 words in 15 minutes. It was terrifying. It was the worst-case scenario. It affected me for a long time. The joy of the game was on hold for a long time, like weeks. I probably called another 10 games in the interim without really feeling it. It was only when he started to show progress that I sort of got back into it again.

Bergeron does not like to discuss injuries, especially this one. Two years after the concussion, when he was starting to feel like himself again, he addressed the concussion.

Bergeron (in 2009): I’ve been through it and it’s not fun. Once you have one concussion and realize how bad it is, and how strong the symptoms can be and how everyday things that you normally do can be hard to do. It’s hard to understand for people who haven’t been through it, but I do understand.

Learning to be a leader

It’s well-documented how important Lapointe was for Bergeron at the start of his career, but when the Bruins acquired veteran Mark Recchi from the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 4, 2009, Bergeron’s performance off the ice reached an entirely different level. Recchi’s presence was one of the more important influences on Bergeron.

Bergeron: I learned to be a better leader with Rex. I never got asked that and I think that was a, I wouldn’t say a “turning point” in my career, because I think I would’ve learned the ropes, but I took a huge step with him helping me out. And that year he came in was the year I was starting to find my game again. I was still dealing with some injuries at that time, and the year before, and I was still young and trying to learn and get better. That year was really one that he showed me how to win. It’s not that I didn’t know that stuff, but more like just trying to help me grow my leadership skills. That was huge off the ice. On the ice, I had great chemistry with him and (Brad Marchand) and that’s when it started for us. That trade, obviously helped the team and we won a Stanley Cup, but for me he was a huge impact.

Mark Recchi: Coming from him, that means the world to me. We have an awesome relationship and we still keep in touch. It’s so much fun watching him play and watching him develop into a leader.

Mark Recchi, left, and Bergeron celebrate in 2011, en route to lifting the Stanley Cup. (Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Recchi can’t recall the exact moment in the 2010-11 season, but the team needed a spark during an intermission and the veteran knew it was time for Bergeron to deliver the message as a leader.

Recchi: He had it in him. There’s no question he had it in him; it was just a matter of getting it out of him. I remember saying to him, “This is your time. This is your team and they need to hear you right now.” He stepped up and never looked back from there. It was awesome to see. He’s a natural leader and he had to get into that comfort zone where he felt he was there. He made it so much fun for me. It was so enjoyable to be around that. I always loved helping young guys, but when you have someone as special as (Bergeron) it makes it even more rewarding every day to play with him, practice with him and get to be around him on a daily basis. It was incredible.

After the Bruins’ epic collapse from three games up at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the 2010 playoffs, Recchi contemplated retirement. It didn’t take him long to realize the Bruins were built as a Cup winner. That Bergeron was leading the way made it an easy decision for Recchi to return. They would win it all the next year.

Recchi: It all played into it. I really believed we had a championship team and I really believed in our management, and our coaches and our leadership. I believed we were ready to take that next step.

Team Canada, the Olympics and World Cup

Bergeron also represented Team Canada in the 2004 World Championships after his rookie season. It was the first time Mike Babcock coached Bergeron, but it wouldn’t be the last. The two worked won a pair of Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014) and a World Cup of Hockey championship (2016).

Mike Babcock: It was great. All those great, smart players that do everything right. Great human beings are great to coach. The first time I had him was in ’04 at the Worlds. I had him in ’10 (at the Vancouver Olympics). I had him in ’14 (at the Sochi Olympics) and I had him in ’16 (at the World Cup of Hockey). Every time he can play with the best players, he can play any position. He can look after the best players defensively if he needs to. He can play on the power play. He can play on the penalty kill. He can play 20 minutes. He can play eight and says the same thing if you play him both. Good man.

O’Connell: When they have the World Cups and the Olympics and they put the best players against the best players, (Team Canada) usually has a hard time with who they’re going to put with Crosby. They put Patrice with him all the time and they’re the best line in the tournament. Patrice’s game does fly under the radar. His game is so subtle but he makes it easier for everyone on the ice. There’s a certain knack about getting open at the right time and Patrice does that naturally.

Crosby: (Babcock) knew we played World Junior, World Championship, and in Vancouver (Bergeron) had a bad groin, so he didn’t play quite as many minutes. He was playing a lot of faceoffs and penalty kill, but we’ve always played together at some point. Then, with him playing with (Brad Marchand) on the Bruins and Marchy being on the World Cup team was a comfortable fit right away. We skated together that summer and we knew we had some chemistry right away.

Patrice Bergeron, right, with Chris Kunitz during Canada’s win in the gold medal game in the 2014 Olympics. (Matt Slocum/AP)

Gordon: You look at those rosters from the Olympics, there were definitely guys that had more points then Bergy, but who’s the top guy at the end of the game? Who’s killing the penalties when the game is on the line? He can do all of it. Any coach that has him as a player, they don’t realize exactly how much they’re getting until they have him and then you realize you have more than just one player.

Sullivan: His (international play) is incredibly impressive. I think Bergy’s game flies under the radar sometimes when hockey people talk about the elite players in the league. His name isn’t mentioned very often, so he just quietly goes about his business and helps his teams have success. If you’re going to watch certain players and how to play the game the right way, and you’re going to try to emulate their games, Bergy is one of them.

A new era

Bergeron and coach Claude Julien spent 10 seasons together and enjoyed great success, including a Stanley Cup in 2011. The Bruins returned to the finals in 2013 before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks. It was also Julien’s decision to play Bergeron and Marchand together in ’11. Julien was fired on Feb. 7, 2017, and assistant coach Bruce Cassidy took over. Cassidy’s first experience with Bergeron was during the ’13 playoffs when the coach was up from Providence to help out the staff.

Bruce Cassidy: My first experience with him, personally, was the year I had the “Black Aces” (the minor-league players who travel with the team in the playoffs for depth). He was hurt a game and had to come down and schlep it with us guys before practice. I remember how hard he worked and how appreciative he was. He’s a true pro and just a real nice guy. Obviously, the day I got hired I talked with him and he said, “Look, I’m the player; you’re the coach and whatever you need I’m here to do.” He’s a true professional and I can’t say enough good things about him.”

The Selke Trophy is awarded to hockey’s best two-way forward; Bergeron and Hall of Famer Bob Gainey are tied with four Selke trophies each, and it’s likely Bergeron will stand alone on that list soon enough. It’s an award he’s proud of achieving, but he remains wary of talking about individual successes and always credits his teammates in such cases.

Crosby: The thing with him is he’s responsible defensively, but he’s good offensively and holds onto pucks. When you get offensive-zone time, he’s aware of where you are, but then you’ve got to play a little more defense when you’re playing against him too. It’s a good combination.

Sullivan (current Penguins coach): I’m coaching a guy now in Crosby who has a similar game that’s obviously an elite player and an accomplished guy as well. Crosby plays a 200-foot game on both sides of the puck. He’s very positionally sound with an incredible work ethic and is an elite player in his own right. I would say the same for Bergy. He has a lot of similar attributes, as far as his 200-foot game is concerned. He’s a real good faceoff guy, can play at both ends of the rink and help you offensively, can help you defensively and kills penalties. He’s one of those guys that help your team win. Not only is he a great player, and his numbers speak for (themselves) offensively, he does all the little things on the ice that inadvertently add up to big things that turns into wins and ultimately a championship.

Bergeron has won the Selke Award as the top two-way forward four times. (Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports)

Joining an elite club

Only 322 players have reached 1,000 career games in the NHL. Bergeron will become the 323rd (and only the fifth to play 1,000 for the Bruins, joining Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk, Don Sweeney and Wayne Cashman) on Feb. 5.

Bergeron: It means a lot. It’s not something I dreamt about as a kid. You obviously want to make it to the NHL and win a Stanley Cup, but then to play 1,000 games – it’s not something you think about. There aren’t many players that have actually made it, so in that way it’s pretty special and meaningful.

O’Connell: It’s a credit to him. It’s a credit to his determination and his character. He really did it. He made it himself. We helped him along the way and we gave him an opportunity when we drafted him, but it’s all Patrice. His personality. His character. His work ethic and all those things that go into making a great player and he possessed them all. He still possesses them.

Boyes: When you think about it, it’s not surprising. He’s an amazing player and always has been. At 18, he was one of the best 18-year-olds I had ever seen. Probably the best 18-year-old as far as playing both sides of the rink, so to see him, not only play 1,000 games, but to be as good as he is at this point, what he’s accomplished, and what he can still accomplish, and knowing how he worked for everything, he takes care of himself and he’s a good person, so guys want to play with him and be around him. He’s won everywhere. He’s the kind of guy you build franchises around. As great as a player he is, he’s an even better person.

Crosby: It’s amazing just how fast he made an impact. He played just one year of junior and then he was right in the NHL, playing in the playoffs that year and having an impact. He’s obviously won a lot over his career. He’s just a guy that every year finds a way to be a difference-maker, whether it’s offensively or defensively. He’s played through a lot over his career too. Playing 1,000 games, he’s hasn’t played a perimeter game by any means. He has tough matchups every night, so it’s pretty amazing what he’s done.

Raycroft: It’s not surprising anymore. The reality is he’ll probably get to 1,500. The way the game is now, and the way he plays, he could play forever. It’s cool. My wife and I randomly talk about him when he was the 18-year-old kid who barely spoke English and now he’s fluent and doesn’t have an accent. We see him around town and it’s funny to see him with kids and being old (laughs). I was young, but he was so young that I always felt that he was a little kid. On the ice, he’s going to be a legend here forever. I’m lucky I got to room with him his first year. I’m lucky to be able to give him a hug when I see him nowadays. It’s fun.

Sullivan: I can’t believe it’s been 1,000 games for him. It doesn’t surprise me one bit, because of what I observed when I was coaching him for the few years. He got better and better every day during the years we worked together and I don’t think that changed, because year in and year out, he becomes a better player. Now, he’s at 1,000 games. I’m really happy for him. He’s such a great person and a great teammate. He certainly was a treat to coach.

Chara: The unique thing is he’s playing for one team, which is something that doesn’t happen often. It’s a great accomplishment.

Lapointe: I knew he had the determination of being an NHL hockey player. I knew he had the passion. I knew he had the work ethic, coming from a good family. He had all the right boxes checked. But, knowing he would have had the career he’s having so far, I would lie to you if I said I knew that would happen to him. The effort he put in every day to become better and to become an NHL player proves what happens when you put all the work in and get the chances on your side to make the best of it. He’s done that and he’s proved it. He didn’t have a great junior career like most of the superstars usually have. You wouldn’t think this guy was going to be a superstar for sure, so his work ethic, his determination and not sitting on his butt, thinking, “Well, I’ve made it.” He was never content and that’s what separated him from other players. I wish other players would learn from his character and determination. He’s a great story.

Recchi played 22 seasons in the NHL and won Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Bruins. He finished his Hall of Fame career with 1,652 games played and retired as Bergeron’s linemate after the Bruins won the Cup in 2011.

Recchi: It’s incredible. To get to 1,000 games is a great number and it’s something to be really proud of, especially when he went through a tough time with his concussions, but to do what he’s done for the last 10 years has been incredible. He seems to get better and better. He’s just so much fun to watch, a great leader and a great two-way player. He’s a selfless player and the reason why they have success every year.

The future

How long will Bergeron keep playing?

Bergeron: That’s the million-dollar question, actually. I don’t even know myself. This is all I’ve been doing my whole life and that’s all I’ve been dreaming of, so it would be hard for me to sit here and (say how long I want to play). Right now I’m trying to enjoy the ride and see what happens. With kids and a family now it definitely puts things into perspective and you want to be with them and spend time with them, but that being said, I also love the game.

(Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

(Top photo of Bergeron: John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)