(Photo Courtesy of ABC6 Rhode Island) “Brad Marchand, the 27th Bruins Captain, sits for photos for the big reveal.”
Tanner Hume
Connector Editor
Early Wednesday Morning, ahead of their 100th season in the National Hockey League, the Boston Bruins have announced that longtime alternate captain and winger, Brad Marchand, would become their new captain after longtime center Patrice Bergeron retired this past season.
Marchand was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 3rd round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and did not make his debut in Boston until the 2009-2010 season, appearing in 20 games and scoring only a single point. Over the years, Marchand’s production would skyrocket for the Halifax, Nova Scotia native, consistently putting up 50-60 points per season, and even higher on most occasions.
Brad Marchand would be given the “A” during the 2018-2019 season, stepping into a leadership role for the very first time and helping the Bruins make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019, but ultimately falling short in 7 games to the St. Louis Blues. Despite his shortcomings in 2019, Marchand did help the Bruins to a Stanley Cup Championship in 2011, defeating the President’s Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks in 7 games.
Marchand is no stranger to the Bruins media spotlight, constantly being praised and showered with positive comments from all forms of Boston Sports Media, as well as from front office personnel, such as General Manager Don Sweeney and President Cam Neely.
During his 14+ year career for the Bruins, Marchand has played along some future hall-of-famers like former line-mate and captain Patrice Bergeron, former captain and blue-liner Zdeno Chara, former center David Krejci, former net-minders Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask, former Bruins winger and current Blackhawks star Taylor Hall, Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno and others.
This offseason saw the retirements of both Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron after 19 seasons in the league, and center David Krejci after 16 seasons, split between predominantly Boston and 1 season back in his native Czechia. When the choice was clear, they decision was handed out.
On early Wednesday Morning, the Bruins put the announcement for all to see on every social media site available, stating that Brad Marchand had become their new captain. For Marchand, this is an exciting opportunity to lead his team back to the playoffs with championship aspirations once again.
For the Bruins, this is a fresh start at their leadership helm, as they also announced the alternate captains would be defender Charlie McAvoy and winger David Pastrnak, who will pair very nicely for a season veteran in Marchand.
A lot of Bruins fans speculated for weeks and months that someone like Pastrnak would take over the captaincy once Bergeron retired, but the Bruins opted for a mainstay of Boston for nearly 15 years.
After falling to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after holding a 3-1 series lead, new captain Brad Marchand will have a lot of work cut out for him, and his impact as captain is sure to be immediate and full of determination, grit and hardline dedication to both the game and to the team as a whole.
The Connector would like to wish Brad Marchand the best of luck at his new role as captain of the Boston Bruins.
