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.”
