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Brad Marchand, Trent Frederic ponder future as Bruins brace for potential sell-off
"I’ve always planned on playing here my entire career. That hasn’t changed."
As of Monday evening, the Bruins sit just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
But with Boston already struggling to find some traction on the ice — coupled with potential season-ending injuries to Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy — Bruins GM Don Sweeney was candid on Sunday when asked about the path moving forward for Boston this season.
“I think historically, we’ve been pretty aggressive when our team’s been in a position,” Sweeney said Sunday of Boston’s plans ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. “I think we’ll take a much more cautious approach as we approach the deadline.
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“That being said, if there are opportunities to improve our team now and certainly moving forward, whether that’s positional shifts with other teams are trying to identify that we may have a strength at — we will look at all opportunities to improve our team now, but more importantly, moving forward.”
If the Bruins look to the future, a Boston depth chart featuring several pending free agents could be in line for an overhaul before March 7 — especially if those trades secure draft capital moving forward.
Boston’s crop of pending free agents include Morgan Geekie (RFA), Trent Frederic, Justin Brazeau — and captain Brad Marchand.
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Marchand could be a coveted asset if dangled on the open market, with several contenders valuing the 36-year-old winger’s scoring punch, two-way talents, knack for agitating opponents, and Stanley Cup pedigree.
But even if Boston nets a solid return for Marchand, it’s a decision that the Bruins wouldn’t take lightly, especially if Boston’s top brass believes that a bold offseason can get them back into the postseason next spring.
“That’s always been my ultimate goal,” Sweeney said of making Marchand a Bruin for life. “We’ve been in negotiations with Brad and communicating with him throughout the year. We’ll have to have a conversation now the Four 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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Speaking to reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday, Marchand echoed a similar sentiment about his desire to remain in a black-and-gold sweater.
“I’ve always planned on playing here my entire career. That hasn’t changed,” Marchand said after practice in Brighton. “They’re aware of that. I think everyone’s aware of that. It’s a gift to play for this team. I take a tremendous pride in it. So yeah, that’s the goal.”
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Marchand acknowledged that both he and his representatives remain in “talks” with the Bruins, with Sweeney adding Sunday that a new contract could conceivably be hammered out before the March 7 trade deadline.
If Marchand is willing to stick around on a short-term deal — potentially following the same cheaper deals that Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara inked during their final years in Boston — retaining the top-six winger might be in Boston’s best interest, especially if they’re able to overhaul their roster over the summer.
But if Marchand is either seeking a higher payout — or is focused on pursuing a Stanley Cup this summer — a trade becomes a tangible scenario.
“The team’s always going to do what they feel is best for the group and the best way they can improve the team,” Marchand said. “That’s completely out of our control. So you just can’t worry about that.”
While the Bruins mull their options with their captain, a pending UFA like Frederic might have already had his fate decided.
Even though Sweeney noted that the Bruins are interested in working out a deal with Marchand before March 7, the optimism of working out deals with other free agents isn’t as present.
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“We’ll address the Brad one,” Sweeney said of free agents. “So everybody’s a little bit in the same boat at this point in time, that it’s unlikely that we’ll move forward with things other than maybe Brad’s. But you never know, because obviously it takes one phone call and things change around.”
That spells bad news for a player like Frederic, who is seeking a higher pay day this summer — even in the midst of a lackluster 2024-25 season (eight goals, 15 points over 56 games).
“I’m sure I’ll look back at it and wish I had a better year, wish I scored more goals here and there,” Frederic said. “But at the end of the day, like just going and playing hockey and having fun — that other stuff will take care of itself.
“I feel like it all kind of evens itself out. So I’m not really necessarily worried too much about that. But it’s definitely — I think everyone this time of year is a little more aware of situations. And I mean, even in years past, you just never know.”
Even with Frederic’s struggles this year, his unique blend of size and scoring punch (albeit not this year) could make him an intriguing add for contenders this spring. Several teams could be lining up for Frederic’s services, but he stressed that he wants to remain with Boston.
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“That’s been my goal. I really like playing here. I like the guys. I like all the staff,” Frederic said, adding: “I’m obviously aware of the situation, being a UFA, not having a deal. I’m not oblivious to that. I don’t think like that. I’m not going to. If something happens, I’ll react off that.”
Even though Sweeney’s comments hold weight over the remaining seven weeks of regular-season action, Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco stressed that his players are trying to stay focused on the present — starting with a matchup on Tuesday against Toronto.
“I think that we have a group here that understands where we’re at,” Sacco said. “We have veteran players that have been around a long time. So again, I have discussions with players all the time, and it’s not necessarily about [the deadline]. We’re always talking. We’re in communication. But we’re focused.
“This group’s focused right now on on Toronto. I’m just being honest, like we’re not looking down the road there. We feel we’re in a fight right now, and it’s an opportunity for us to make up some ground here and do something where we haven’t been in this position for a little while. These are meaningful games, and we’re just trying to use them as a stepping stone to get to the next part of the season.”
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