It’s the end of an era in Boston.
The Bruins traded franchise icon Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers in a last-minute deal, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
The trade comes after Marchand was declared week-to-week by the Bruins with an upper-body injury on Tuesday. The return in the trade was not immediately known.
Marchand, 36, is set to become a free agent in the off-season. He has 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 61 appearances on the season, and also suited up for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
But the Bruins sit on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture and instead of potentially losing their captain for nothing chose to make a move toward their future.
The move further reinforces a Panthers team who are looking to defend their Stanley Cup. Marchand adds more edge and experience to the Panthers, who along with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk might have the toughest forward core in the NHL.
The move was made possible in part due to a groin injury to Tkachuk that will keep him out of the lineup until the playoffs.
Marchand’s exit comes two years after former captain Patrice Bergeron, who spent his entire career in Beantown, announced his retirement.
After being selected in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft by Boston, Marchand went on to play over 1,000 regular-season games with the Bruins, compiling nearly 1,000 points and helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2011 while reaching the final two other times.
The Halifax native added another 56 goals and 82 assists in 157 career playoff contests. He became known for his unmatched ability to bother opponents, whether it was licking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov or punching Vancouver Canucks star Daniel Sedin in the face during the 2011 final.
Now, he’ll bring his extensive post-season experience and trademark peskiness to the Panthers who are looking to win another Stanley Cup.