Brad Marchand is in for the long haul.
The Boston Bruins announced Monday that they signed Marchand to an eight-year, $49 million contract extension that runs through the 2024-25 season. It’s a huge move for the Bruins in that they locked up one of their best players, and Marchand sounds enthusiastic about his future with the only NHL franchise he’s ever known.
“Boston has become my second home. I absolutely love it there,” Marchand told reporters in Toronto, where he’s representing Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey. “I’m very excited about what’s ahead for our team. I really believe in our team and our group and what we’re working towards. It’s a place that I’m very excited about being for the next number of years and potentially my whole career.”
Marchand, who was drafted by the Bruins in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft, is coming off a season in which he totaled career highs in goals (37) and points (61). It’s possible — if not likely — he would have made more money if he tested free agency after this season, but the 28-year-old winger instead listened to his heart. The Marchand-Bruins relationship has been a fruitful one to this point.
“This is an extremely exciting day for me and my family,” Marchand said in a statement released by the Bruins. “I would like to thank the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, Don Sweeney, Claude Julien, the coaching staff, my teammates and our fans for their continued support and belief in me. I have been a Bruin since the start of my pro career and there is no place I would rather play. I look forward to doing everything I can to help our team achieve success and bring the Stanley Cup back to Boston.”
The Bruins still have some question marks going into this season. Marchand’s future no longer is one of them, unless, of course, you’re wondering whether the best still is yet to come.
