Patrice Bergeron started earning acclaim for his defensive game four seasons ago when he was a legitimate Selke Trophy candidate for the first time. Wholesale Colorado Avalanche Jerseys . It has taken longer for Bergeron to be appreciated as one of the best all-around players in the NHL. Maybe it started during the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup run or last years trip to the final, but after playing a major role in Team Canadas gold-medal performance at the Sochi Olympics, the 28-year-old is surely considered among hockeys elite centres. "I think what hes done is he opened a lot of peoples eyes," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "I know at his first Olympics he didnt have, whether it was the opportunity, to do what he did. The last one I think people realized how good he is." Statistically, Bergeron had just two assists in six games, but the Quebec City native shifted from a fourth-line centre role to right-wing alongside Sidney Crosby and never missed a beat. His nearly flawless play wasnt a revelation as much as it underscored his growth from the 2010 Games in Vancouver, where he was the 13th forward. In that tournament, as defenceman Chris Pronger told CBC Sports recently, Bergeron had a smaller role that was "probably a little unfair to him." "Patrice would sit on the bench for long periods of time and then wed get a penalty and turn to him and say, OK, go out and kill it," Pronger told CBC. "Thats a pretty tough, but important, job." Its also an important job to play with Crosby, whose unique talent level and menatal acuity are often difficult to match. Bergeron said during the Olympics that the challenge is to be at his best when on Crosbys wing. "Its about trying to find him when hes open but also its getting open for yourself, not just trying to feed him," Bergeron said of Crosby. "You give him the puck in your zone and he does his thing." Bergeron said playing with not just Crosby but everyone on that deep, talented Team Canada made him better. "I think it helped me with the confidence being there, and the pace and the level of the game down there, it definitely helped me coming back here," Bergeron said last week in Detroit before the Bruins finished off the Red Wings to set up a showdown with the Montreal Canadiens that begins Thursday. Sochi gave Bergeron an international showcase to show his stuff, but he has been a key cog for the Bruins for a number of years. He has played 70-plus games in eight of nine full NHL seasons since entering the league in 2003 and had 20 points in 23 games when Boston won the Cup in 2011. This season, though, he was downright dominant at times. With 62 points in 80 games, a league-best plus-38 rating and a 58.6 per cent success rate in the faceoff circle, Bergeron was the Bruins most important forward as they won the Presidents Trophy. "I didnt think a guy thats already played eight or nine years can get better each and every year, but he is," winger Brad Marchand said in Toronto late in the regular season. "Hes the reason why weve won this many games this year and why we won the Cup. Hes a phenomenal player, a great leader, and every night hes on the ice hes a guy you want to follow." At one time Bergeron was the player doing the following. Even though he was taught defensive responsibility while growing up in hockey, Bergeron looked to Ted Donato and others who were winning faceoffs and playing in their own end. Now a veteran on the verge of beginning his US$52-million, eight-year contract signed last summer, Bergeron is now in the position of instilling those principles in younger teammates. "I mean its how I play so Im always trying to talk about that, talk about making sure we come back on the backcheck and we do the right thing defensively to create some offence," Bergeron said. Bergeron doesnt just help Bruins players. Red Wings centre Riley Sheahan, who was a key piece of their run to the playoffs, said he studies Bergerons game to improve his own. Even players at other positions appreciate what Bergeron brings to the ice. Detroit defenceman Brendan Smith has noticed Bergerons game even more now that brother Reilly is his teammate in Boston. "He reminds me of (Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg) because hes so good defensively, hes so good offensively," Smith said. "Hes above the play. He makes good decisions. Hes a second quick. Hes strong on the puck. He makes good reads. You go through the list about a player like Bergeron." Brendan Smith said Reilly has picked up plenty of tidbits from Bergeron, and according to Julien hes far from the only one who can say that. "Anybody that plays with him and sees his work ethic doesnt have a choice but to follow this guy," Julien said. "That just makes those players better. If we see a player that has skill and some potential, we know playing with Bergie that the other parts of his game will improve. That certainly is something weve always looked at." Forget about younger players. Even as Bergeron is a well-established pro, hes trying to tweak elements of his game that arent quite perfect. "Youre always trying to work on things," Bergeron said. "Coaches are doing a great job of showing me some videos with my stick in the right position on the PK or whatnot. So I think you definitely improve every time you put some work into it." Authentic Mikko Rantanen Jersey . And I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences gained through International competition and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen. Colorado Avalanche Jerseys China . Simon (10-3) allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in 6 1-3 innings to break a tie with the Dodgers Zack Greinke and Cardinals Adam Wainwright for the NL lead in victories. Simon went to spring training as a relief pitcher and moved into the starting rotation when Mat Latos was recovering from elbow and knee surgeries. http://www.cheapnhlavalanchejerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-semyon-varlamov-jersey . -- Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after having an operation on a groin muscle.Happy Canada Day! Lets take a quick look at a few NBA Topics. 1. Andrea Bargnani: If the proposed trade with the New York Knicks goes through this will be a good landing spot for him. He wont have the pressure on him to be ‘The Guy with Carmelo Anthony around and his ability to space the floor with his distance shooting (erratic at times) will be a help to their team. The Knicks are obviously banking on the fact that hes got potential that has yet to be realized and a change of scenery could do it for him. Only time will tell if this is the right risk for them but I expect a new environment will do wonders for him, at least temporarily. The key is his willingness to truly commit to the game and lay it all on the line which hes been reluctant to do. Dont discount the fact that the Brooklyn Nets swung a big trade with the Celtics for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. This is a reaction to that as well as a team seeing a guy that can help them in an area of need. Former Raptors assistant coach and current Knicks assistant Jim Todd coached Andrea and Im sure hes spoken extensively with GM Glen Grunwald & Mike Woodson about him. 2. Steve Novak: Part of the proposed Bargnani trade has this veteran sharpshooter coming to Toronto. I like him. The Raptors were an inconsistent three-point shooting team the past few years and hell provide a solid veteran presence off the bench and hes a good locker room guy. Lifetime 43per cent shooter from behind the arc and will be a guy that can open things up for teammates with his consistency. Overall, Bargnani trade is addition by subtraction with the picks and cap savings being the primary help. Novak wont hurt them if this trade gets done. 3. Kevin Martin: Hes a free agent. I know the Thunder are in a luxury taax bind, but if he walks what do you truly think of the James Harden trade? Might as well have let him stay for this season and then moved him and given yourself a legitimate opportunity to win a title. Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys. Martin will have plenty of suitors on the market as long as he is reasonable in his contract demands. Hes been a consistent three-point shooter throughout his career and his scoring knack is valuable. 4. Monta Ellis: He has decided to opt out of the final year of his deal in Milwaukee. The man can score points (19.4 ppg in his career) yet hes a volume scorer who has failed to shoot above 43 per cent the past two seasons. My belief is that hed be an ideal guy for a team as a sixth man because we all know hes coming into the game to light it up. You live with that a bit more because you need the boost as opposed to a starting player who youre looking to for reliable or predictable play. Hes got his boosters and just as many detractors. That being said, as a sixth man in the right up-tempo system hed be a blast to watch. 5. O.J. Mayo: I thought he settled down this past season and played a decent brand of ball for coach Rick Carlisle. He shot it well from three-point range (41 per cent), the best in his career and at 15.3 points per game hes a guy that can give you the pretty steady output that is so valued from a back court player. He was up and down in his time in Memphis but in a contract year he performed pretty well. Is that a result of a guy being in a contract year or has he truly matured? Thats the question scouts have about him that I think to this point is still inconclusive. I see teams trying to offer him a shorter term deal if they can get away with it. Hell get paid though… he scores. Always need that. Chiefs Jerseys China Cheap Nike Chargers Jerseys Cheap Nike Raiders Jerseys Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys China Cheap Nike Giants Jerseys Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys For Sale Wholesale Redskins Jerseys China Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Packers Jerseys China Cheap Vikings Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Panthers Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Saints Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cardinals Jerseys China Cheap Rams Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Nike 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys China Bears Jerseys China Cheap Nike Bills Jerseys Ravens Jerseys China Wholesale Falcons Jerseys China ' ' '