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Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand is playing out the final season of an eight-year, $49 million contract he signed in September of 2016 and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in July. And it looks to be an issue for Bruins’ management, as insider Fluto Shinzawa of the Athletic reports that the team may be seriously considering trading its captain.

Marchand’s pay rate – currently $6.125 million per season – could go in different directions and there is a sense that GM Don Sweeney would prefer to re-sign Marchand on a year-to-year contract as he’ll turn 37 this spring. With the veteran forward looking for more term, the Bruins could shop him, especially if they continue to struggle to clinch a playoff spot. Shinzawa received this information in his latest report from the situation in Boston:

“If they think it’ll help the team,” one hockey operations executive, granted anonymity to discuss a player not under his team’s control, said when asked if the Bruins will trade Marchand. “All bets are off.”

I’m sure that Marchand would much prefer to stick it out in Boston. He’s been a good leader this season and could even agree to taking a discount on his next contract to allow Sweeney the luxury of adding more pieces for another push next summer. However, Elliotte Friedman mentioned Shinzawa’s report on Friday, saying that this could indeed lead to a move in Boston.

“If he’s floating that out there that says to me that there’s probably some truth to at least the fact the Bruins may be thinking about is that day coming if they can’t sign him.”

We better keep a close eye on this.