Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron has given his first public comments on the firing of head coach Bruce Cassidy.
The Bruins announced the decision Monday night. B's general manager Don Sweeney said the team needed a "new voice" and that a search for a new coach will begin immediately.
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In a French interview with Stephane Cadorette of Le Journal de Quebec, Bergeron said the news of Cassidy's firing was "a surprise" to him.
"In the NHL, when you don't achieve your goals as a team, these are things that can happen, unfortunately," Bergeron said in comments translated from French to English using Google Translate. "As a player, it's disappointing because you always have a role to play in this. There is a sense of responsibility, that's clear."
Bergeron also was quick to shoot down any speculation that he had anything to do with Cassidy's firing.
"It's completely unfounded, so I won't put any energy into it," Bergeron told Cadorette, again translated from French to English by Google. "It's a waste of time and it's really stupid speculation."
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Bergeron doesn't have a contract for next season. He's 36 years old and just wrapped up his 18th NHL season. The veteran center said he still hasn't made a decision yet on his future. If he doesn't return, the Bruins would be left with zero top-six caliber centers.
Sweeney said at a press conference Tuesday that, "In my conversations with (Bergeron) yesterday, I did not ask whether (firing Cassidy) impacts his decision. It’s Bergy’s decision and his timeline."