Boston Bruins name Brad Marchand the 19th captain in franchise history

The Boston Bruins have named Brad Marchand captain, following the retirement of Patrice Bergeron. In an epic video posted on the team’s X account, he is seen with a C being sewed onto his jersey.

Marchand is currently the longest-tenured Bruin and the last of the “old guard” who won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2011. He is on track to play his 1,000th game this season, as he stands at 947 right now. The news may come as a surprise to some because of the player’s on-ice antics. He has rightfully earned a reputation as a “pest” and does anything he can think of to make it harder for his opponents to play.

Marchand has been one of the most consistent forwards in the league since 2016-17. Since 2017, he has played 493 games, scoring 219 goals and 573 points. In that span, he ranks seventh among forwards in points and sixth in points-per-game.

The 35-year-old has earned his place in franchise history, joining an elite company of Bruins’ captains which includes all-time greats Ray Bourque, Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Milt Schmidt, Johnny Bucyk, and Joe Thornton.

Marchand was originally a third-round pick of the Bruins in 2006 and had to work double as hard to make the team initially because of his small stature. At 5’9 and 176 lbs. the Halifax, Nova Scotia native didn’t find much success on the big club in his first year there.

In his rookie season in 2009-10, Marchand scored only one point in 20 games. But he didn’t let that get to his head and continued to work hard, ultimately earning a spot on the 2010-11 Bruins Stanley Cup team. That year, he scored 21 goals and 41 points in the regular season and an impressive 11 goals and 19 points in the postseason.