The Boston Bruins are navigating choppy waters this season, and the turbulence has sparked speculation about significant roster changes looming.
NHL insider Chris Johnston’s “Trade Board 2.0,” published at The Athletic on Tuesday, has fueled the conversation, naming captain Brad Marchand as a Bruins’ top trade candidate.
Although Johnston listed Marchand as the 30th and last potential trade target to hit the market before the trade deadline in his latest update, he still sees a scenario in which the Bruins captain can be moved.
“The Boston captain is playing out the final year of his contract, and it’s difficult to imagine the team looking to move him if it remains on a playoff trajectory,” Johnston wrote. “Marchand has had a slow start to the season following a summer when he underwent multiple surgeries, but he remains a high-end winger who can contribute offensively, kill penalties, and, yes, get under an opponent’s skin.”
Marchand, a 16-year veteran who has only played for the Bruins, has been a cornerstone of the franchise’s success. However, the 36-year-old is in the final year of his contract and has faced challenges this season, including a slower start and recovery from multiple offseason surgeries.
Through 33 games, Marchand has scored 25 points split into 13 goals and 12 assists while posting a minus-2 plus/minus. If that pace doesn’t improve for the remainder of the season, it’d turn into Marchand’s lowest-scoring season in nearly a decade.
Meanwhile, the Bruins have improved after firing coach Jim Montgomery but still struggled overall this season, going 17-13-3 for 37 total points. That’s only good for third in the Atlantic Division, as they trail the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers, both with 42 points.
Despite still occupying a playoff spot via wild-card berth, the Bruins’ current 0.561 winning percentage is the lowest among the top 14 teams in the league, a far cry from their President’s Trophy-winning dominance two seasons ago.
Brad Marchand denies the report that he is close to a three-year extension. pic.twitter.com/n3O3YX4WGB
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin9) October 27, 2024
Back in October, Marchand denied a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman saying he had an agreement for a three-year contract extension.
“Elliotte likes talking about me this week, eh?” Marchand said, according to a video on X. “I’m not big about talking about contract stuff in the media.
“I’m not going to do it—but that report from Elliotte is false.”
