Brad Marchand (© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

Brad Marchand was one of the NHL’s top trade candidates leading up to the NHL trade deadline, but there was hope that No. 63 would stay put until the final hour.

However, once the clock hit 3 pm ET, it was announced the Boston Bruins dealt Marchand to the Florida Panthers – the team that knocked them out two post-seasons in a row – for a measly 2027 conditional second-round pick. It will turn into a 2028 first-round pick if Marchand plays at least 50% of Florida’s playoff games.

While speaking to reporters following the trade deadline, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney shared the team’s main reason for dealing their former captain.

“Just had a gap,” Sweeney said. “Deep down, we had been talking really from day two, I think, of free agency in terms of what his intentions were and where we were at.

We always had a bit of a term gap that took us a while and felt that we had been able to bridge that. But again, a player is more than entitled to have an understanding of what they think their market value is and do what’s best for them. And I have to always respect that.”

Sweeney then added:

“Then we had to make a really, really difficult decision to say, well let’s give Brad another opportunity with a really good team, and then he can make his decision what he thinks is best moving forward.”

It is certainly tough that the Bruins and Marchand couldn’t find a way to get a contract extension done. Even at 36 years old, he was still one of the Bruins’ best players. It would have been incredible for him to play his entire career in Boston, but that thought can be forgotten.

It was a historic run in Boston for Marchand. In 1,090 career games over 16 seasons as a Bruin, the 2006 third-round pick had 422 goals, 976 points, and a plus-284 rating.