Brad Marchand Reveals How He Found Out About Bruins’ Captaincy

Brad Marchand believed in the Bruins leadership group, but he also hoped he would be the one to succeed Patrice Bergeron as team captain.

Marchand on Wednesday was named the 27th captain in Boston’s history. Cam Neely, Don Sweeney and Jim Montgomery backed the four-time All-Star, who revealed how he found out he would be given the captaincy.

“(Montgomery) told me we were going to dinner, and I was kind of hoping that was the conversation I was hoping to have with them,” Marchand told reporters, as seen on NESN. “But you never know, maybe they were trying to let me down easy. So I was trying not to get my hopes up. We sat down at dinner and I’m anxiously waiting. We’re making small talk and stories from the past, and I’m a little quiet because I want to know what’s happening. What are we doing here? Cam spoke up, brought it up and let me know. And then (Sweeney) and Monty both talked after that.

“I was extremely proud and honored, a little relieved. We have a lot of guys it could go to who were deserving. I did want it and was hoping to have the opportunity. When you look at the guys who have played in this organization, what they’ve done, the legacy they built — I take pride in what I do and wanted to be part of that group and help build something special with this team.”

When asked if he picked up the tab for dinner, Marchand added: “Nope, I had alligator arms that night.”

Bergeron and David Krejci retired this offseason. The Bruins prepare to turn the page with the start of training camp this week and will host their first preseason game Sunday against the New York Rangers at TD Garden.