For the second time in less than three years, the Bruins are a franchise in need of a new captain.
Consider it just another hole created by the retirement of Patrice Bergeron.
And what makes the 2023 hunt for a new captain different than the one ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2021 campaign is that there’s not really a clear-cut, no-doubt-about-it option like Bergeron was when replacing Zdeno Chara. There’s multiple candidates for the vacancy this time around, without a doubt, but there’s not one you look at and go, “Yes, it’s absolutely him.”
Now, part of that has to do with where the Bruins are as a franchise.
Bergeron’s retirement, along with the expected departure of David Krejci, inches the Bruins even closer to the ‘new era’ of the franchise that’s been coming for the franchise for half a decade at this point. That, naturally, opens the door to the possibility of the Bruins truly embracing that with a captain that is more on the younger side than Bergeron was when he took over for Chara, and allowing the Bruins’ oft-talked-about next wave take over as the franchise’s new leadership core.
Brad Marchand
Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) talks with linesman Michel Cormier (76) at the end of the second period of the 2023 Winter Classic against the Penguins at Fenway Park. (Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports)
If the Bruins want to follow the script they did when transition from Chara to Bergeron, Brad Marchand would be the next man up when it comes to the Black and Gold’s captaincy.
A full-time NHLer since 2010, Marchand has tenure on his side, as he’s been with the Bruins for a staggering 14 seasons and is just 53 games away from playing 1,000 games with the Bruins. That’s something that just seven players have accomplished in the century-long history of the franchise.
Marchand also has his share of hands-on learning experiences in regards to what it takes to be a captain after skating with Bergeron for the last decade-plus of B’s hockey. Marchand, of course, has also worn an ‘A’ for the club for quite some time now, so it’s not as if this is going from zero to 60 for the 35-year-old wing.
Marchand would also be an extension of the foundation built by Chara and Bergeron, which is of obvious value.
Oct 27, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) congratulates left wing Brad Marchand (63) after he scored against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
Now, there’s a few potential ‘obstacles’ when it comes to handing Marchand the ‘C’ for 2023-24 and beyond.
One is his career longevity. Marchand has long joked that the league is going to have to pull him off the ice to get him to walk away. Or, in non-Marchand terms, Marchand doesn’t see himself retiring anytime soon. But still, the math is the math, and at 35 years old, you’re talking about a potential short window of Marchand being the team captain. The Bruins have had two captains in three years, and let’s say Marchand plays another three seasons, that’s three captains in six years. Perhaps the Bruins don’t like the idea of playing ‘age-dictated hot potato’ with their captaincy. This wouldn’t be a chief concern for me, but you can see the rationale for this being a concern for others.
The other, of course, is Marchand’s reputation. Given his suspension and fine history, as well as his role as an agitator, perhaps Marchand isn’t the go-to guy when it comes to being the guy officials have to talk with when doling out penalties and trying to calm things down. Now, what I would say is that Marchand has done a good job when it comes to cleaning up the unnecessary crap and getting it out of his game, but he’s of course still prone to the occasional slip-up when tempers run a bit too hot (the Tristan Jarry incident comes to mind).
You can also make the case that Marchand doesn’t need the ‘C’ to lead.
In fact, he’s done it without the title for years now. He’s also not the type to get offended and demand out of town should the Bruins decide to go with someone else for that job. If anything, Marchand would be the type to let that person know he’d be there to help them in any way. (Think about how Bergeron was essentially Chara’s co-captain throughout the second half of his run with the B’s.)
Charlie McAvoy
Apr 13, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) prepares for a face off against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Bell Centre. (Eric Bolte/USA TODAY Sports)
The other favorite either with or behind Marchand seems to be do-it-all defenseman Charlie McAvoy.
McAvoy also had an interesting quote in the team’s video message saying goodbye to Bergeron, telling Bergeron that he would do ‘everything he could to take care of’ what Bergeron built in Boston. Some out there took that as an almost spoiler of sorts that McAvoy was in line to become the team’s next captain. (This is also where I’ll tell you just for the fun of it that McAvoy wears No. 73 because it’s Bergeron’s number backwards.)
Given his status as the figurehead of that ‘next wave’ the Bruins have talked about for years, and the fact that McAvoy has worn an ‘A’ on his jersey for some time now, promoting him to captain is almost natural. McAvoy also broke into the league playing opposite Zdeno Chara, so there’s value in that when it comes to learning how to lead.
CALGARY, CANADA – FEBRUARY 28: Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on February 28, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Derek Leung/Getty Images)
McAvoy wearing the ‘C’ feels like an inevitability, to be honest. It’s just a matter of whether or not the Bruins think now is the time and that McAvoy is ready for that beginning in 2023-24.
Given his lead-by-example approach — this is especially noticeable in the postseason, when McAvoy sets the stages or tries to even things out with a tone-setting hit — you could make the case that his time is now.
But McAvoy also has a tendency to run a bit hot when the Bruins lose, and his post-loss press conferences can get kiiiiinda terse. You love that competitive nature, but that slow-and-steady approach when it comes to answering tough questions and navigating ugly storms has been a calling card of both Bergeron and Chara. McAvoy can and will get better at that (the secret is to say nothing but make it sound like it’s something), but maybe the Bruins don’t want to add more to his plate on that front until it’s truly mastered.
With that said, talking to the media and keeping your composure in press conferences is such a minor detail when it comes to being a captain, and it shouldn’t play much of a factor at all. Especially if the Bruins feel he’s ready, and with McAvoy already taking a lot of positive strides when it comes to his community engagement and endeavors, which were an obvious hallmark and staple of Bergeron throughout his two-decade run in town.
McAvoy feels like a neck-and-neck favorite with Marchand, to be honest.
David Pastrnak
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 30: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
If the Bruins want to go the route of giving the captaincy to their best player, David Pastrnak is their guy.
On the board with 61 goals and 113 points this past season, which earned the Czech winger a nod as a Hart Trophy finalist, Pastrnak is no doubt the other pillar of the Bruins’ next wave of both their success and their leadership.
Another player who has worn an ‘A’ on his sweater for some time, going with Pastrnak as the team’s next captain would also give the B’s some comfort when it comes to the longevity of that captaincy, as Pastrnak is set to begin his monstrous eight-year, $90 million contract with the club this fall.
Apr 9, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. (Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports)
An obvious question when it comes to a potential Captain Pastrnak: Is giving the captaincy to your best player or your best scorer the way to go? Alex Ovechkin had his struggles as a captain before guiding the Capitals to a Stanley Cup in 2018, and there’s something to be said for the fact that the Maple Leafs went with John Tavares over Auston Matthews with their captaincy. While each case is different, sometimes it’s best to let your best players simply be your best players without the added pressure of skating with the ‘C’ on their sweater.
Pastrnak wouldn’t necessarily be in over his head given his experience with Bergeron, Marchand, and David Krejci, but again, does Pastrnak need the captaincy to be one of the best players in the world? No, no he does not.
Pastrnak is probably considered a ‘distant’ third behind Marchand and McAvoy when it comes to the proverbial odds.
Brandon Carlo
Nov 26, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo (25) gets set for a face-off during the second period against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)
And here we are in the ‘long shot’ range when it comes to the captaincy. But Brandon Carlo is another player who has worn an ‘A’ on his sweater and has experience leading, as he has been the team’s NHLPA player rep. Carlo also has the ability to speak like a leader, and I swear there’s been times where you could close your eyes and think you’re talking with ex-Bruins wing and former NHL captain David Backes. Similar cadence, tone, and mentality.
Carlo, who is signed through the 2026-27 season, also had extensive experience playing opposite former B’s leaders such as Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug.
Charlie Coyle
Apr 21, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) looks on during the second period against the Florida Panthers in game three of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at FLA Live Arena. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)
Another longshot option: Weymouth, Mass. native Charlie Coyle. As it stands right now, Coyle may very well be Bergeron’s on-ice replacement as a potential fit between Marchand and Jake DeBrusk on Boston’s top line. Coyle is also great in the community, and is a strong rep of the organization. That, along with how he carries himself, oozes potential captain material. Again, he’s a distant, distant option compared to some of the other options here, but it’s not hard to envision the Bruins giving Coyle a greater leadership role in 2023-24 and beyond.
For the record, if we were doing this on a 100-percent kind of scale, I’d have both Marchand and McAvoy at 40 percent each, Pastrnak at 10 percent, and then both Carlo and Coyle at five percent each.)
No captain
A detail of the Boston Bruins logo on a player’s sweater during a game. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Of course, it’s also possible that the Bruins simply decide to skate without a designated captain in 2023-24. If it plays out that way, it would be the first time that the Bruins skated without a captain since 2001-02. That was considered the bridge year between the captaincy of Jason Allison and Joe Thornton.
