CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 05: Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at the United Center on February 05, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Brad Marchand wants to be with the Bruins for life but he has to survive the NHL trade deadline first….
The 36-year-old Boston captain is in the final season of an eight-year contract.
BOSTON—Brad Marchand has entered a strange territory.
With the Boston Bruins barely treading water as a playoff contender, and with Marchand in the last year of a contract that has a limited no-trade clause, awkward questions are starting to be asked of the captain and longest-tenured Bruin.
Namely, does he want to be traded? He didn’t say yes and he didn’t say no Monday. Instead he walked a line.
“I’ve always planned on playing here my entire career,” Marchand said. “That hasn’t changed. (The Bruins) are aware of that. I think everyone is aware of that. It’s a gift to be playing on this team. That’s always been the goal.”
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Boston GM Don Sweeney held court Sunday, basically saying everything was on the table. The trade deadline is March 7 and the team will have to show if it is a serious contender that is a player or two away from winning, or a pretender that would be better off selling.
“We’re right there,” Marchand said. “We have the ability to win games and put ourselves in a good spot and stay in a playoff spot. It’s going to be a fight to the end. But if we string some wins together, we’re going to be in it.”
The Bruins, like the Leafs, have been in the playoffs every season since 2017. Some years, Marchand said, they were so far out in front in the regular season that they were more worried about getting rest or staying healthy than in keeping up the intensity.
“(Boston’s record this season) makes every game the rest of the year very meaningful. Sometimes that’s a lot of fun. It’s great to have that intensity,” he said. “It’s a different mindset this year, but it makes every game entertaining.”
Sweeney and Marchand have been in touch with each other, with the 37-year-old at the end of an eight-year deal that carries an annual cap hit of $6.13 million (U.S.).
“We’re obviously in talks,” Marchand said. “I think I understand where I’m at. That’s going to stay between us.”
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Marchand would be a big hit if any team could land him. He is a leader, a proven winner with a Stanley Cup in 2011, and he is coming off an invigorating appearance for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
But he knows trades are part of the business.
“Even in your best years, guys get moved, things happen,” he said. “You have no control over things like that, you can’t get caught up worrying about it. The biggest thing is worrying about what you can control, and trying to stay in the moment.
“Every year different things happen with the team. Different situations can arise. Teams are always looking to improve. If you’re a contender or in the mix, you’re always looking to become better. If you’re not, then you’re looking to sell. Every year, the situation you’re in changes.
“That’s part of the game, the part you don’t always love. But, at the end of the day, it is what it is.
