Brad Marchand Lands on Trade List as Bruins Weigh Tough Choices Amid Playoff Slide

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Graham Montgomery
January 15, 2025 (5:28 PM)

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NHL insider Nick Kypreos believes the Boston Bruins could move Brad Marchand under the right circumstances this season.

As the March 7th trade deadline approaches more and more teams are finalizing their plans for the remainder of the season.

For some clubs, their choices are obvious. The Sharks and Blackhawks will be sellers at the deadline.

Teams like the Jets and Maple Leafs will be buyers. However, many teams remain in a grey area at this point in the season.

One of those teams is the Boston Bruins. Currently, they hold a playoff spot, but their recent struggles could have them on the outside looking in if they continue.

As NHL insider Nick Kypreos points out, the team is just 7-8-2 over their last 17 games, and by points percentage, they would be out of the playoffs already.

For Kyper, this has him wondering about the future of the team's captain, Brad Marchand.

"The Bruins got a coaching bump after making the November change from Jim Montgomery, starting 7-2-0 under Joe Sacco. But they've gone 7-8-2 since, have earned just five points in seven January games so far, and are 10th in the East by points percentage. Though this is still heading towards an amicable resolution, if Boston's hold on a playoff spot keeps loosening, Marchand will more and more become a situation of great interest."

Kypreos compared the situation to Joe Pavelski in his final year with the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks were a better team that year than the Bruins are now, so there was never any question if he would be traded.

However, that offseason, the team elected not to re-sign him as the then 35-year-old wanted a three-year deal.

As Kypreos points out, the Sharks would regret letting him walk as Pavelski went on to have five great seasons with the Dallas Stars.

"In some ways, this could be a comparable scenario to Joe Pavelski. San Jose was at a crossroads and didn't want to give him an extra year when he was 35 years old, so Pavelski signed a three-year deal with Dallas and was a highly productive player for them. In fact, he signed two more one-year deals with the Stars and retired at 40 years old. This is why Boston has to think long and hard about giving term to Marchand, their captain and second-highest scorer."

This certainly gives the Bruins a lot to think about when it comes to their captain.

They could probably get a decent haul for him at the trade deadline this year, but what if he goes on to have several more great seasons with another team?

Would the Bruins find themselves regretting the move, or could the return help them achieve a quick retool?

Either way, this situation is a lot more complicated than most fans would probably think, so be sure to keep an eye on the Bruins captain as he faces some tough choices in his career over the next few months.

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JANVIER 15 \| 488 ANSWERS Brad Marchand Lands on Trade List as Bruins Weigh Tough Choices Amid Playoff Slide Do you think the Boston Bruins will trade Brad Marchand this season?
Yes	130	26.6 %
No	358	73.4 %
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