NHL Insider reveals the Boston Bruins are closer to making a tough decision with Brad Marchand

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Joshua Deeds
December 2, 2024 (9:27)

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The discussion of theBoston Bruins being sellers at the trade deadline continues to pick up, as NHL Insider Chris Johnston explored who the team could move.

One of those players is Bruins Captain Brad Marchand whose been a Bruin his entire career. This season in 26 games, it seems he's found his offense, as he's scored 17 points( 8 G, 9 A).

During the offseason, fans and pundits were unsure if he'd return to form but now as the team moves on from Jim Montgomery, under Head Coach Joe Sacco he's found his rhythm.

Could the Bruins get good value out of the Captain, should the team fail to improve during the regular season?

According to Chris Johnston, he could be on Bruins player who could be a target for teams come March.

This is not a player we expected to find on the Big Board, even if he's currently playing out the final year on his contract. But as a league source noted this week, «I don't think anyone in Boston thought this is where they'd be at.» If the decision to replace Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco behind the Bruins bench doesn't produce the desired results, some difficult personnel decisions will almost certainly follow. Marchand has had a slow start to the season after a summer during which 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.

source - 'NHL trade board 2024-25: The latest on all the top targets from Chris Johnston' - Chris Johnston- The Athletic - 11/21/2024

Marchand has played his entire career with the Bruins and has won one Stanley Cup in 2011.

The Bruins Captain could see himself moved as a rental to a contending team, or whomever could afford to fit his expiring $6.125 Million cap hit in their organization.

The skilled winger has found a way to stay relevant past his prime, and on a team like the Bruins who is relatively thin on depth continues to be a fixture in the top-six.

While there's no indication of GM Don Sweeney hitting the panic button, maybe he should have long ago.

Considering the team is rostering someone like Justin Brazeau in the top six, the Bruins are due an upgrade in multiple spots in the lineup.

Marchand could fetch a good haul on the market, and Bleacher Report gives us an idea of what the Bruins could get for him.

Acquiring Marchand may cost the Wild promising young forward Liam Öhgren or Marat Khusnutdinov. The Bruins could also seek a first-rounder and perhaps one of the Wild's two third-rounders in 2026.

Marchand has played 1,055 games in the NHL all with the Bruins while scoring 946 points( 409 G, 537 A) and one Stanley Cup to his name.