Copyright MassLive
BOSTON — Early in his career, Brad Marchand had dinner with Ray Bourque. The night, the Bruins legend and Hall of Famer gave the young Marchand some advice. “He said, ‘You need to embrace every fan you come across because when you’re done, they move on as the next guys come in. They kind of forget about you.’ That stuck in my mind,” said Marchand, wearing a Panthers hat in the visitors’ locker room at TD Garden. “I always loved interacting with fans. I appreciated the support, the older I got and the longer I played.” But Bourque, who, like Marchand, left to win a Stanley Cup elsewhere, was wrong. Bruins fans never forgot Bourque, even after he went to Colorado. And Tuesday night was clear evidence that Marchand won’t likely be forgotten either. From the moment they traded him the Bruins management has continued to talk about its former captain in glowing terms and they welcomed him back with a stirring tribute video during the first period. Sports stars and Boston teams rarely cut ties harmoniously. Tom Brady, Roger Clemens, Ray Allen, Johnny Damon, Mo Vaughn, Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas and so many others have left with varying degrees of hard feelings. But Marchand and the Bruins went to different sides of the river without burning the bridge in between. Boston is trying to rebuild for the future, while Marchand, 37, is trying to gnaw every piece of meat off the bone in the present before his career ends. Florida gives him a chance to do that while chasing championships. But during his in-game interview with ESPN, Panthers coach Paul Maurice recognized that while Marchand is fully committed to Florida’s goals, “in his heart, Marchand will always be a Bruin.” Marchand agreed with him, but with a caveat. One of the toughest things about balancing the urgency of the present against his cherished past is not underselling what the Panthers mean to him right now. Marchand has embraced his role in this dynasty-in-progress and the people who are part of it. “I don’t want to disrespect the team I’m on in any capacity. I left and I turned the page and I found something very special that I’m proud and blessed to be part of,” he said. “I’m so grateful to be in this dressing room with this group of guys. ... With winning, you build a bond that will last a lifetime.” “But I’ve been here for seven months. I’ve been in Boston for 15 years,” he continued. “When you go from being a kid with a dream and you grow up and have a family and become a man and build an entire life in a city, it’s just different. It’ll always be in my heart and a special place.” And while being a Bruin is on pause for Marchand, he didn’t think it was over. Returning to Boston as a Panther closed a chapter, but not the book. Early in his career, Marchand looked at Zdeno Chara, as a role model. Chara played for the Capitals and Islanders after the Bruins, but after hanging up his skates, he’s returned to the Bruins, first as an active alum and now as a member of the front office. When his own career is over, Marchand thinks that, like Chara, he’ll return to the Bruins family in some capacity. “If I’m being completely honest, it’s an organization I think I’ll always be part of in some capacity down the road,” he said. “What I’ve been through here. The blood, sweat and tears and what I tried to give to this organization, it would be hard not to want to be involved. I’m so deeply rooted. I’ve cared so long. It would be hard not to.” Marchand’s plan to play until the wheels fall off is still in progress, and his contract runs until 2030. After that, he’s headed for the Hall of Fame and at least one more emotional night at TD Garden when his No. 63 is retired. It’ll go up right next to Ray Bourque’s No. 77, where they’ll never be forgotten.
