A new update on Brad Marchand's contract extension with the Boston Bruins

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Joshua Deeds
October 29, 2024 (9:29)

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The Boston Bruins and Brad Marchand's contract negotiations have been interesting, as unlike Lewis Gross and Jeremy Swayman, the Captain isn't negotiating in the public sphere.

Marchand has been quiet about what progression or lack thereof has been between himself and the Bruins when asked about it. This is understandable, you don't want the public, or fans to interject or get any ideas of what you think you're worth.

«Elliotte likes talking about me this week,» said Marchand following his overtime game-winner on Saturday. «I mentioned this before, 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. I am not going to talk about my contract stuff with the media. If I was to sign a three-year extension, it would be signed. Elliotte is just wrong there.»

It looks as if Marchand's major concern about his contract at the moment isn't GM Don Sweeney and the Bruins themselves, but the media.

This shouldn't give fans any pause, as he and the Bruins seem to have a great relationship and doesn't want to ruffle any feathers in the front office.

Friedman would later mention this on the 32 TP:

«He's the source,» Friedman said. «There's no better source on this one than Marchand since he's the guy who's actually going to sign the contract. So if he says at this point in time that I am wrong or the story is falsethen I just have to eat it. He knows where things stand.»

While Friedman deferred to Marchand's take on this situation, he'd also provided some context to reassure Bruins fans that things weren't looking bleak.

Which to his credit, he would prefer to go straight to the horses mouth in Marchand, and refuses to create any rumors or falsehoods regarding the negotiations.

Marchand Extension Ahead?

Elliotte Friedman mentions that he believes that the Bruins and Marchand will reach an extension soon.

«I'll say this, I don't believe contract talks have broken off between the Bruins and Marchand. I don't think this is a situation where they've stopped discussing it or they're no longer moving forward in attempts to sign an extension, so I'm not concerned about that,» Friedman said. «What someone said to me on Sunday morning was, if you're going to be wrong on this one, he thinks I'm going to be wrong on term. There's a possibility, he thinks, the Bruins would prefer two years instead of three, and we'll see where we go here. Long term, I think this is going to get done.»

Friedman's predictions on the term of the contract may not have been correct, but when it comes to contract negotiaitons he is a trustworthy source in the world of hockey, in a arena of bad actors.

Saturday marked a huge milestone for Marchand, as he broke his goal drought, since the 4th game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not only that, but he reached a career milestone breaking a tie with Bruins legend Phil Esposito on game-winning-goals for the B's, moving into third place.

Marchand had to go through multiple offseason surgeries, and there wasn't any indication of when he'd fully recover. Hopefully, this was the plateau he needed to clear before he took another step forward.

Marchand's $49 Million, $6.125 Million AAV contract expires at the end of 2024-2025.

The Bruins should consider keeping him around beyond this year in order to keep leading the team, even in his eventual production decline and serve as an intangible leader, and pest on the ice.

For now though, he remains an underpaid, skilled forward with the Bruins and is a product of the era which gave the Bruins a Stanley Cup in 2011.