Bruins star David Pastrnak makes honest admission on vacant captain role after Brad Marchand's exit

The Boston Bruins are still acclimating to a locker room missing their captain and long-time veteran Brad Marchand. Without a key figure in the facility, David Pastrnak may have to step up into a bigger role and wear the ‘C’ for the ‘spoked B’ next season. However, the Czech forward issued a sincere statement about a potential promotion.

Boston appears to have waved the white flag in their NHL season, falling behind in the Stanley Cup Playoffs race and moving on from some of their best assets. Yet, the team is still hopeful about a miraculous rise back into a postseason berth.

As the Bruins gear up for a key matchup with the Florida Panthers at TD Garden, with huge implications for their playoff hunt, David Pastrnak delivered an honest admission about potentially filling in Marchand’s shoes as captain in The Hub.

“I don’t think about it, honestly,” Pastrnak stated, per Boston.com. “I got the ‘A’ and I haven’t changed a bit. The role changed a little bit, you lead more. But you just try to stay being yourself. Right now, we have 17 games left and that’s my main focus to build on.”

David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins smiles during warmups of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on October 31, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Marchand trusts the leaders back in Boston

As Marchand returned to Beantown, joining his new team in their roadtrip, he was asked about the alternate captains left in charge in the Bruins locker room. Marchand voiced a strong comment about Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, comparing them to two all-time greats in Boston.

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“They both lead in different ways,” Marchand stated during media availability. “Especially together, the way I look at is like a [Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara] type thing. They’re co-leaders.”

Marchand’s emotional morning skate

While Marchand remains sidelined due to an upper-body injury sustained during March 1’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he participated in the Panthers’ morning skate at TD Garden.

Hundreds of thoughts and memories raced through the 36-year-old’s mind as he returned to the rink he called home for almost 20 years, but this time wearing a different team’s gear.

Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins looks on against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden on January 02, 2025 in New York City.

“Definitely still a little bit that I’ve got to get through here,” Marchand admitted, per ESPN. “I got a little bit of a feel for it. It still felt weird.”

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Boston and Florida won’t meet again in the 2024-25 NHL season, and thus there may not be a special matchup between Marchand and his former club, unless both teams make the postseason and meet along the way.