Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs gives Cam Neely, Don Sweeney ‘full support’ after Brad Marchand trade
"Cam, Don and the hockey operations team have my full support as they make these very difficult decisions."
Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs seemed to put aside any notion that president Cam Neely’s and general manager Don Sweeney’s jobs are in jeopardy after trading Brad Marchand to the Panthers.
In a statement released Saturday, Jacobs defended the team’s chief decision-makers as he thanked Marchand for his time with the organization.
“In Boston, we’ve been fortunate to witness the rise of generational talent who fostered a culture of excellence within our locker room and led our club to victory,” Jacobs wrote. “Brad Marchand, our captain, Stanley Cup champion and Bruin of 16 years, will forever be part of that legacy. While we made our best efforts to keep Brad in black and gold for the rest of his playing career, he now embarks on the next chapter of his journey. We wish him, his wife Katrina and their three children Sloane, Sawyer and Rue the utmost success.
“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. Our goal remains unchanged: to be a Stanley Cup championship-drive organization. Together, we are changing a course for the next century.”
The decision to trade Marchand capped off a week of trades where the Bruins traded a handful of their top players for future assets, something they haven’t done ahead of the trade deadline in decades. While their trades of Trent Frederic, Justin Brazeau, Charlie Coyle, and Brandon Carlo netted them returns that were largely praised, what they received for Marchand might have felt underwhelming. They only got one draft pick for the franchise icon — a conditional 2027 second-round pick that turns into a 2028 first-round pick if he plays in 50 percent of the Panthers’ playoff games in the first two rounds and they make the Eastern Conference final this postseason.
However, the 36-year-old Marchand is in the final year of his contract and is currently sidelined for multiple weeks due to an upper-body injury. Sweeney told reporters Friday that the injury likely depreciated Marchand’s value, sharing that the team had also struggled to come to terms on a long-term deal with him.
“With his injury, it complicates things a little bit,” Sweeney said. “So you’re just basically talking to the teams that are willing to take on that risk in the position they’re in and comfortable that he’s going to miss some time. … Ultimately, the gap was there that he wasn’t going to sign.
“Now, whether or not we could have taken the time in between now and then, and maybe it changes. But the time leading up to it hadn’t. And that’s where the tipping point is and says I have to do what’s right for the organization.”
Bruins leadership hasn’t expressed any harsh feelings towards Marchand, either, acknowledging the reality that they’re in a tough spot to make the postseason in 2025.
“Want to wish each and every one of them well,” Sweeney said of the players the Bruins traded on Friday. “They are going to teams that we are jealous of … had we done our jobs, if I had done my job appropriately … we would be adding like we have in 10 previous years.”
Sweeney further commented on the Marchand deal on Saturday, thanking him again for his time with the team.
“Being underestimated was all the motivation Brad Marchand needed to work harder than anyone to earn a chance to grow from a bottom-six agitator to NHL superstar,” Sweeney wrote. “Then he evolved into a true leader, a captain, an example for all those who aspired to wear the Spoked-B to show them what it takes to compete and win at the highest level and, even more, to do so for the Boston Bruins.
“On behalf of my family and the entire Bruins organization, I want to thank Brad for all of his contributions as one of the greatest Bruins and to wish he, Katrina, Sloane, Swayer and Rue continued success and happiness. Thank you, Brad.”
Neely also commented on the deal for the first time on Saturday, issuing a statement of thanks to Marchand.
“Brad wore Black and Gold with a tremendous amount of pride for 16 years,” Neely’s wrote. “He embodied what it means to be Bruin. His dedication and contributions both on and office the ice leave a lasting impact, and I personally wish he, Katrina, Sloane and Swayer and Rue all the best in their next chapter.”
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