Bruins name Brad Marchand their next captain after Patrice Bergeron's retirement

The Boston Bruins have named longtime forward Brad Marchand the team's next captain.

The 35-year-old, who has spent his entire career in Boston, takes over for the legendary Patrice Bergeron following his offseason retirement. Marchand becomes the third Bruins captain in four years after Bergeron replaced Zdeno Chara as the team's C-bearer in 2020.

"I am extremely proud of Brad and the hockey player he has become," Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs said in a release.

"Brad has been a Bruin for over 15 years and had the opportunity to learn from great leaders in Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. He is ready for this opportunity and our whole team will learn from his competitive nature and tenacity. I am confident he will represent our organization with heart and grit."

The team posted a video to social media Wednesday morning to break the news:

Marchand spoke with reporters earlier this month and acknowledged the "burden" of replacing Bergeron and longtime fixture David Krejci, who also hung up the skates this summer.

"To lose them both in the same year, it's a big loss for our group," Marchand said, via NHL.com. "But it gives other guys the opportunity to step up, start carving a different path for themselves, gaining more leadership, carrying more minutes, carrying more of the load...

"You definitely feel that burden, or responsibility," Marchand continued. "It comes with the territory with being around for a while. It's just kind of how things go, the torch is passed down. When it's time to lead the way, you've got to do it."

Marchand, who won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, is entering his 15th season with the franchise after joining the organization as a third-round pick in 2006. He's posted 372 goals and 862 points over 947 career NHL games and is coming off a 21-goal, 67-point season in 2022-23.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia native ranks first among active NHL players in plus-minus and sits seventh in game-winning goals, 10th in total goals, 18th in assists and 12th in points. He also ranks 11th in playoff games played and sixth in postseason goals, assists and points among his active peers.

Beyond his impressive point production, Marchand also doubles as one of the league's top agitators.

Marchand is the Bruins' ambassador for "Hockey is for Everyone" — a program dedicated to fostering inclusion and driving positive social change for communities through the sport of hockey. Per the Bruins' release, Marchand has also participated in other charitable initiatives throughout his career, including Cuts for a Cause, Halloween hospital visits, annual holiday toy shopping and delivery and more.

NHL training camps opened up league-wide on Wednesday.