Sleeper Watch

The Bruins are struggling, but don’t blame Patrice Bergeron. The young forward is on a roll, with six points scored in his last six games, and a plus-minus rating of plus-three in that span. Bergeron is playing with confidence and poise, and has taken on a key role in Boston’s offense.

After being selected with the 45th overall pick of the 2003 draft, Bergeron surprised many observers by breaking camp with the Bruins as an 18-year-old rather than being sent down to Providence for additional seasoning. Bergeron immediately showed that he belonged in the NHL, however, scoring 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in his rookie campaign.

This year, the native of Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec is off to an even better start, with 20 points scored (nine goals, eleven assists) in his first 30 games. Most of that damage (six goals, seven assists) has come on the power play, and he now leads the Bruins in power-play scoring. Bergeron has also performed well in faceoff situations. His 56% success rate is currently the sixth-best mark in the Eastern Conference.

Bergeron’s success has earned him three extra minutes on the ice compared with his rookie campaign, and he’s putting that time to use just the way fantasy owners like it: by shooting the puck. Bergeron has taken more than 11% of the Bruins’ shots on goal this year; with 106 shots so far (17th in the NHL), he’s on pace to more than double his 2003-04 total of 133.

With former teammate Joe Thornton now playing in teal, Bergeron’s role will continue to grow, as will his skills as he continues to mature. It looks like the MVP of the 2005 World Junior Championships could turn into a very solid NHL player; if you want him playing for your fantasy squad in the years to come, pick him up now before his price rises.

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