Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand is a pending UFA, and speculation regarding his next contract is heating up. What are the options?

The Boston Bruins are a team to watch this NHL season for many reasons. Brad Marchand is one of them.

Marchand's contract status could become one of Beantown's most fascinating but suspenseful storylines this year after the Jeremy Swayman saga ended earlier in the month. The captain is slated to be a UFA at the end of this season, and Marchand's pay rate – currently $6.125 million per season – could go in different directions.

Marchand recently spoke out regarding his contract status, denying a Sportsnet report that he's close to agreeing to a three-year contract extension. 

"I'm not big about talking about contract stuff in the media," Marchand told reporters last Saturday. "But that report...is false... That's about it."

Marchand's denial doesn't mean a new deal won't come for him soon. And it definitely doesn't stop speculation regarding what his next, and possibly, his final NHL contract will look like.

Perhaps Marchand does what previous captain Patrice Bergeron and veteran center David Krejci did not long ago – namely, play for a relative pittance to give the Bruins their best chance at icing a deep, experienced lineup. 

Bergeron and Krejci each took a massive pay cut in their final season in the NHL. Bergeron went from a $6.875-million cap hit on an eight-year deal to just $2.5 million in the final year of his career in 2022-23. 

Krejci, meanwhile, had his salary drop from $7.25 million on a six-year contract to only $1 million in his final year in 2022-23, following a one-year stint in Czechia.

Those selfless decisions allowed Bruins GM Don Sweeney to add pieces Boston otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford. The result was a historic campaign where the Bruins set new records for most wins and most points in a regular season, although they blew a series lead and lost in the first round of the playoffs. 

Marchand taking a discount on his next contract certainly would give Sweeney the similar luxury of adding more pieces for another push next summer.

Another option could be for Marchand to earn close to what he's earning this season or maybe even more on a one- or two-year deal, which gives him another chance at one final contract before he chooses to retire. Many consider Marchand to be underpaid already, so this could be a chance for him to cash in. But at 36 years old, Marchand will be dealing increasingly with Father Time. 

Marchand could opt for a longer-term extension that takes him to age 40. If he does choose that route, Marchand may have to accept a pay cut to get the stability, even if it's only a comparatively minor one.

Regardless of what form Marchand's next contract takes, we fully predict he will remain a Bruin for the rest of his career. He currently has an eight-team no-trade list, but we wouldn't be surprised if he pushes for a full no-move clause in his next deal that guarantees him complete control of where he plays. He had that for the first five years of his current contract, but his no-trade control has weakened in each of the past three years.

If this writer had to predict Marchand's next contract, we'd go with something like a four-year contract in the area of $5 million per season. That will give Sweeney more cap space to acquire other veterans to try and win a Stanley Cup before Marchand hangs up his skates, and it will give the captain stability.

The alternative – a deal keeping his pay scale the same as it currently is or raising it – would make Marchand's accountant and financial planner pleased as punch. But one of the reasons Marchand was given the 'C' in Boston was his selflessness. A new contract still paying him a few million per season is a decent compromise.

Boston currently has about $70 million in cap commitments for the 2025-26 campaign, with 13 players under contract through next season. That leaves precious little space for additional acquisitions of consequence. If Marchand agrees to a smaller salary, it'll be because he understands how challenging it is for Sweeney to augment the roster. And he'll once again fully buy into the team-first concept in Bruins Land.

Marchand has been a terrific athlete on and off the ice for Boston. In his next contract, he can underscore that reputation by sacrificing money in return for the group's competitiveness. That's a tremendous legacy for Marchand, and that's why we don't anticipate any problems keeping him in a Bruins uniform until he's finished playing.

For another prediction, here's Emma Lingan and Michael Augello from The Wraparound Show:

(Don't see the video? Click here.)

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