Bruins CEO backs GM Don Sweeney following SHOCKING trade of captain Brad Marchand to Panthers

Brad Marchand, the captain of the Boston Bruins, was shockingly traded to the Florida Panthers by GM Don Sweeney.

Bruins CEO backs GM Don Sweeney following SHOCKING trade of captain Brad Marchand to Panthers

Don Sweeney and Brad Marchand (Image via The Boston Globe/Reddit)

In a major shock to the system, Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney made a massive move. The GM traded away team captain and veteran Brad Marchand to one of their rivals, the Florida Panthers. Bruins’ CEO Charlie Jacobs has backed Sweeney and the others for this move on Friday.

Marchand had been part of the Bruins since his debut in the league in 2009. Before this stunning trade on the deadline day, the 36-year-old had spent his entire career with the Bruins while winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.

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The Canadian international was named the captain of the team before the start of the 2023-24 season. He was currently in the final year of his 8-year deal with the team was likely to become a free agent. Instead of losing him for free, the team decided to let their captain walk away and got a 2027 2nd round draft pick from the Panthers in return.

Since the news broke out, fans on social media had torched Don Sweeney for this move. Many shared NSFW reactions while attacking him and questioned his decision. With him under tremendous heat, Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs released a statement and showered his support towards him.

Cam, Don, and the hockey operations team have my full support as they make these very difficult decisions, which we collectively believe will set our franchise up for a new era of success in the future.

Charlie Jacobs said as a part of a statement

The 2024-25 season has not gone according to the way the Bruins had hoped. Following a poor start to the season, coach Jim Montgomery was relieved of his duties as the head coach of the team. After his sacking, Sweeney had issued a stern warning to the players.

Don Sweeney breaks silence following blockbuster trade of Brad Marchand

The Brad Marchand trade to the Florida Panthers left the hockey world buzzing on Friday. A few hours after trading him, Don Sweeney broke his silence regarding this shocking trade and called him “one of the greatest Bruins ever“.

Don Sweeney and Brad Marchand
Don Sweeney and Brad Marchand (Image via NHL/The Hockey Beast)

Before addressing the media on Friday afternoon, Sweeney claimed that this was one of the “difficult decisions” of his career. Apart from Marchand, the team has also traded away Charlie Coyle, Justin Brazeau, Brando Carlo, and Trent Frederic.

I want to wish each and every one of them well in going to teams that we’re jealous of, who’ve been in the same situation with those teams. And so they’re loading up, and have we done our jobs? If I had done my job appropriately starting there, it would be adding like we added in the 10 previous years.

Don Sweeney told the reporters

Marchand is currently sidelined with an upper-body injury. The forward star has 47 points (21 goals and 26 assists) in the 61 games he has played this season.

As fate would have it, the Panthers will take on the Bruins on the upcoming Tuesday at the TD Garden. Marchand, though, will not be a part of it due to his injury.