Bergeron shares many traits with Bruins legend Cowley

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday.
This week Fischler presents his popular "Then And Now" feature, comparing a bygone star and a contemporary one. With the Boston Bruins off to an excellent start this season, Fischler compares Hall of Fame center Bill Cowley and current Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron.

It would be hard to find two players from different NHL eras more alike than Boston Bruins centers Bill "Cowboy" Cowley and Patrice Bergeron.
Jeff Miclash, a hockey historian and author of "Total Bruins, 1929-39," sees the similarity.
"Like Bergeron today, Cowley was Boston's No. 1 center, from his sophomore season with the team and for a decade after," Miclash said.
"The Bruins' Bergeron and David Krejci comprise today's one-two centerman punch. Back when Boston was winning two Cups (1939, 1941) in three years, it was Cowley and Milt Schmidt. The word on Cowboy was that 'he made more wings than (aircraft manufacturer) Boeing.'"
Associated Press' hockey writer Allan Kreda has covered Bergeron since the center broke into the NHL in 2003-04. When he analyzes Bergeron, it sounds as if he's talking about Cowley.
"Bergeron simply brings it every night," Kreda said. "He's maintained a superior level for 19 seasons and more than 1,250 games. Patrice leads by example with hard work, grace and relentless determination."
Bergeron is third all-time in Bruins history with 1,017 points and 416 goals, and fourth with 601 assists, in 1,259 games. Cowley had 537 points (190 goals, 347 assists) in 508 games with the Bruins.
"Bill was a superb stickhandler who had the vision and ability to dictate the pace of attack and that made him difficult to check," Miclash said. "When over-covered he'd find an unmarked teammate. And when given some space, he'd undress opponents and score on his own."
Cowley's awards speak to his effectiveness. He won the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player in 1941 and 1943. He led the NHL in scoring in 1940-41 when he had 64 points (17 goals, 47 assists) in 46 games and was selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1938, 1941, 1943 and 1944. He also helped the Bruins with the Stanley Cup in 1939 and 1941.
Bergeron has won the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL five times. He also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2020-21, NHL Foundation Award (2013-14) and King Clancy Trophy (2012-13). In 2011, Bergeron helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup.
Former NHL goalie, author and current New Jersey Devils radio analyst Glenn "Chico" Resch said Bergeron "has no flaws."
"There's not one weak link in Bergeron's incredible chain of physical and mental make up," Resch continued. "He's a killer on face-offs; he can score as well as make skilled, slick passes to get teammates to score. He's a captain and leader in all aspects. He can talk the talk in the dressing room but he walks the walk even more impressively on the ice."
Explaining his success, Bergeron said, "Once you take care of the process, the results fall into line. For me, it's all about the process and details. I put the emphasis on details."
Selected by the Bruins with the No. 45 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, Bergeron so impressed the Bruins staff at his first training camp that he made the opening-night roster at 18 years old.
"Honestly, I can't say that I surprised myself because that would be unfair," Bergeron said. "The approach that I had was I wanted to prove people wrong and I wanted to accomplish something."
He's acomplished quite a bit, of course, including when he scored the Cup-winning goal against the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Final.
"Patrice may not bring the 'wow factor' of other known NHL scorers," said George Falkowski, a former producer for Bruins games on the New England Sports Network. "But he's the rarest of NHL superstars, one who plays the game over a full 200 feet and not just in one direction."
The same was said of Cowley, who made his mark as a playoff hero in 1939. Centering a line with Roy Conacher and Mel Hill, Cowley set up three of Hill's overtime winners in a pulsating seven-game series win against the New York Rangers in the semi-final.
Against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the '39 Cup Final, Bill assisted on two of Conacher's three game-winners and led Boston in scoring.
Columnist Jim Coleman of the Toronto Globe and Mail called Cowley a "master craftsman."
Two springs later Cowley won the NHL scoring race and was the first NHL player to have more assists in a season than anyone else had points. He then helped Boston to a four-game sweep against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1941 Cup Final.
"Bill not only was a great player," said Rangers coach Frank Boucher, who as a player won the Lady Byng Trophy seven times,"but he was a gentleman and an honest player."
And what a sportsman! During the 1943-44 season, Cowley wrote a letter to then NHL President Red Dutton requesting that an assist that he got in a game be taken away because he felt that he had not earned it.
"Bill held himself to a very high standard of play," Miclash said.
Yet another similarity between a Bruins legend of yesteryear and one from today.
Bill Cowley photo courtesy of Turofsky/Hockey Hall of Fame