Marchand: Replacing Bergeron’s Leadership Will Require Group Effort

BOSTON – Brad Marchand is entering uncharted waters.

For the first time in his National Hockey League career, Patrice Bergeron will not be his teammate.

This week, as the Bruins begin to assemble for captains’ practices at Warrior Ice Arena, their captain of the past three seasons is not there to guide the way following his retirement earlier this summer. It is a development that the Black & Gold – and Marchand – are still learning how to maneuver.

“There's been times without him throughout the years where he's been hurt or whatever, but his presence around the room, the gym, and on the ice – you can’t replace that. It will be a lot different this year,” Marchand said earlier this week following the club’s first captains’ practice.

“You see that as we go on and might get a little more comfortable, it might be more difficult, those big moments where he normally steps up and controls things, it will be a little bit different. But [it’s] something we'll work through together.

“That goes with [David Krejci], too – to lose them both in the same year, that's a lot. Gives other guys the opportunity to step up and kind of start carving in different path for themselves. Every time a guy leaves it creates more of an opportunity.”

Marchand reiterated that while Bergeron’s on-ice presence will certainly be missed, the biggest adjustment will come in the dressing room where the Bruins will need to lean into the legacy of leadership that has been left behind by the six-time Selke Trophy winner, as well as Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, and others from the B’s 2011 championship core that have departed in recent years.

“This time of year, it doesn’t feel as odd just being around, but I think as we get going, as we cut down to our actual team, and we go through the normal every day to day, I think that’s when it will kind of hit home a little bit more,” said Marchand. “There’s always things you’ve got to deal with along the way that he managed so well. A lot of behind-the-scenes things that he managed very well will fall on different guys’ shoulders. So that’s when it’s going to be different.

“Obviously the on-ice stuff, the best two-way player to ever play the game, there’s no replacing him on the ice, in the room, but a lot of the day-to-day stuff and how he helps guys through different moments and tough times, we’re going to miss him.”

Marchand said that it will be incumbent upon the Bruins to follow Bergeron’s edicts of “gratitude and accountability” as they move forward without him.

“Just treating every day like it's a gift,” said Marchand. “Being thankful to be here, and to have the opportunity to play in this organization, on this team. And you hear it so often that guys come from different groups, or they leave and they go somewhere else, how much [they] miss being here, and how lucky they are to be here. These careers fly by very quickly, and you're going to miss it every day. You never know when it’s your last day, when it's going to be your last day in the league.

“Just being grateful to be here – and with that comes making sure that you do everything in your power to make the most of the opportunity and to not waste a day chasing a Cup and having no regrets. And again, that kind of leads to the accountability and a being good role model in showing up and doing your job.

“Every time we step into the rink, trying to get better, and not just for yourself, but for the guy next to you and for your teammates and the organization.”

On the ice, Marchand – who was Bergeron’s linemate for over a decade – said it will be imperative for whoever his next center is to not feel the need to play the same way as No. 37.

“Say if I’m playing with [Charlie] Coyle, or if I’m playing with [Pavel] Zacha… they can’t play like Bergy, and I’m not going to play like their past winger. We have to build our own chemistry from Day 1,” said Marchand, who tallied 67 points (21 goals, 46 assists) in 73 games last season. “I have to find what strengths either one of those guys have and play within that, and they have to be same for me. It took years to build what Bergy and I had, and whoever was with us at that point in time, and it's just something that we're going to have to continue to work on every day in practice.

“It’ll be a work in progress…those two guys have a phenomenal opportunity ahead of themselves to play a lot of big minutes and take a big step in both of their careers. I'm sure they both are waiting for this moment…that's what guys are looking forward to their whole careers. Huge opportunities for them, but it'll be something that we all have to work on together.”

With Bergeron and Krejci retiring, Marchand is now the longest-tenured Bruin having spent the last 14 seasons in the Spoked-B. As such, the winger – who has worn the ‘A’ as alternate captain for the past several seasons – will take on a large portion of the leadership load, though he isn’t focusing on whether or not he’ll follow in the footsteps of Bergeron and Chara as the club’s next captain.

“It's not something that I really think about too much,” said Marchand. “Obviously, it's a big honor to be in a leadership group in this organization and when you look at the guys that have been there before. But we've always done it collectively as a group, so regardless of who wears it, it's a collective thing…again, when you lose Bergy and Krech, it's got to come from a group not from one certain guy or a couple guys. It's gotta be from a big collective group. That's what we're gonna rely on.”

Wait, There’s More

• Marchand said that after undergoing hip surgery last offseason – which forced him to miss the first seven games last season – this summer was far more normal when it comes to strength and conditioning. “That’s kind of what I was excited about this summer, is having a year to kind of get back to the conditioning from before. If you miss six months, you're behind, no matter who you are. I mean, I didn't feel normal until probably March. I was still in pain probably up until March, which is expected from a surgery like that. I feel really good now. I just feel great, and I was able to train a lot this summer, and train well, so I'm happy. I mean, [the surgery] was the best decision for my career by far, and I will not ever regret it. But it's good to get a summer under my belt.”
• James van Riemsdyk, who spent the first 14 seasons of his career with Philadelphia and Toronto, said he’s now getting used to being on the other side after signing with the B’s on July 1. “Certainly on the other side of some pretty intense rivalries for a lot of years. It’s been good to get to the area and get acclimated and get to know these guys a lot better. I’ve heard great things about a lot of the guys. Obviously a lot of great players in the room. Looking forward to it.”
• van Riemsdyk on the perception of the Bruins from afar both as an opponent in the NHL and during his time at the University of New Hampshire. “Always kind of a measuring stick game. Even the years I was at UNH, that was just kind of the start of that contending status that it feels like every single year I’ve been in the league…they’re a team that has a chance to win. When I got to free agency, I was excited to get a call from these guys and a chance to be a part of it with all the other great players here.”
• van Riemsdyk on the amount of Hockey East alums in the B’s dressing room. “Me and [Kevin Shattenkirk, a BU alum] go way back playing against each other growing up and then playing against each other in college. It’s definitely funny to look around and see where everyone’s coming from. A lot of guys from the area which is kind of cool.”