Boston Bruins Trade Franchise Icon Brad Marchand

Per Elliotte Friedman, the infamous #63 is headed to the Florida Panthers as they look to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

Drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2006, Brad Marchand has been captain since Patrice Bergeron's retirement in 2022.

He won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2011, and has been a fan-favourite for nearly two decades.

In the last year of a long term extension worth $6.125 million annually with the Bruins, the team could not convince him to re-sign.

He will chase his second career Stanley Cup with the reigning champions.

Per insider Emily Kaplan, everybody involved is shocked. Marchand is synonymous with Boston hockey, and it'll be truly bizarre to see him in different colours.

On a team already featuring players like Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers will be very difficult to play against this year.

With the Bruins having already moved on from Trent Frederic in a deal with Edmonton, as well as longtime players Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo today, the team has clearly chosen a path forward.

The return appears to be very underwhelming for the Boston Bruins, with a guarantee of a second round pick (likely in the 56-63 range of the draft), with a condition of becoming a first that likely hinges on a Stanley Cup.

While Marchand himself was a third round pick, for a franchise legend, it is a tough pill to swallow.

More to come.