"He's laying low," said Hughes, who spent time with Bergeron Saturday night, in the hours after the collision, and on Sunday, when Bergeron was released after overnight observation at Massachusetts General Hospital, "and I guess you could say he's probably frustrated."
Bergeron was in the midst of his 12th shift Saturday when he met up with the onrushing Dennis Seidenberg as Carolina defenseman lugged the puck through the neutral zone. Bergeron, whose season came to an end last Oct. 27 because of a Grade 3 concussion, looked active and sharp in his 31st game of the season Saturday, much more resembling his pre-injury form.
As Bergeron approached from Seidenberg's right, and Boston right winger Chuck Kobasew from his left, the 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound blue liner straightened his stance as he came to the red line. Bergeron, intent on trying to strip the puck, inadvertently drove the left side of his face smack into Seidenberg's padded shoulders. NHLers typically wear hard-shell padding on their shoulders, which not only protects their bones but also can serve to smack opponents.
"One of things [Bergeron] said to me was, "Geez, I felt it was my best game so far,' " recalled Hughes. "He just started to feel like he was getting into it. So something like this - mentally, physically, and psychologically - it makes the timing of it really tough, and I think that makes his frustration pretty understandable."
The Bruins confirmed Sunday that Bergeron suffered a concussion in the collision, which means he must miss at least a week, in accordance with standard NHL protocol. Based not only on his severe concussion last year, but also on the club's conservative approach in his return from that injury, it's highly unlikely he will suit up again until early January, at the earliest.
"Really, there is no way to gauge that, or predict," said Hughes. "With my experience with other clients, as well as Patrice, I've learned that it's impossible to predict the recovery process."
