The Boston Bruins could be NHL trade deadline sellers this season for the first time since Don Sweeney took over as general manager in 2015.
The B's are just one point out of a wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but the team has struggled all season and injuries have really taken their toll. On that note, injured defenseman Hampus Lindholm is now unlikely to return this season, Sweeney told reporters Sunday.
Sweeney also was asked about B's captain Brad Marchand's future with the team. Marchand, 36, is unsigned beyond this season.
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"That’s always been my ultimate goal," Sweeney responded to a question about wanting Marchand to be a lifelong Bruins player.
"We've been in negotiations with Brad and communicating with him throughout the year. We'll have to have a conversation now that the 4 Nations is over and sit down with Brad and his representatives and have a clearer path in the next two weeks as to what his final outcome will be.”
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Marchand said on the What Chaos! podcast before the 4 Nations tournament earlier this month that he wants to remain with the Bruins his whole career.
“My goal is to play here forever,” Marchand told hosts D.J. Bean and Pete Blackburn. “I love it here, and my family obviously loves it here. It's all I know, and what I love most about it is that the expectations that are put on the group by — internally, just from management, ownership, from the team within — like the expectation to be good every year is what you want to be part of.
“You want to be part of a winning team. You never want to go to a team that’s rebuilding — that’s not enjoyable hockey. You want to be playing for something meaningful every year. We’ve had years where we miss playoffs, and we’re fighting for our lives going down the stretch in a playoff race like we are now.
“Those are some of the best years that you have, because every game is meaningful, and it’s like playoff hockey for a long stretch. A little adversity is good for a group. But yeah, that’s what I love about being here. They want to win, and that’s what you want.”
Marchand made his debut with the B's in the 2009-10 season and has since become one of the franchise's best forwards. He also played a huge role in the team's 2010-11 Stanley Cup title.
The veteran left wing would be a perfect trade deadline addition for a contending team given his scoring ability, leadership and playoff experience. That said, unless the Bruins are blown away by an offer for Marchand, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to trade the captain.
Marchand is still one of the team's most productive offensive players. He ranks second on the Bruins in goals (20), assists (25) and points (45). If Marchand was traded, who would step in and fill that scoring void? There aren't any prospects in the system capable of excelling in a top-six role right now.
If the Bruins hope to just re-tool in the offseason and be right back in the mix next season, having Marchand be part of that makes the most sense.