VIDEO: Brad Marchand rewards fan's long term commitment in his No. 63 threads
Brad Marchand may be one of the league's most hated players, but he's undeniably one of the most beloved in Boston. The newly appointed 27th captain of the Boston Bruins made a fan's day euphoric with a heartwarming gesture.
Recently, during warmups for the Bruins' game against the San Jose Sharks, a female fan in the stands, sporting a Boston jersey while holding a banner with a thread for Brad Marchand written on it, drew the 35-year-old's attention.
As soon as Marchand notices it, he skates towards the wall shield and makes the fan's day euphoric by rewarding her with a puck.
Watch the video here:
"He is ready for this opportunity": Boston CEO Carlie Jacobs on Brad Marchand's appointment as team's new captain
Following the retirement of Patrice Bergeron, it was highly speculated that Brad Marchand could take on the new role as the new captain of the Boston Bruins franchise.
Bergeron spent his entire career with the Black and Gold. During that period, he served as an assistant captain of the team for over a decade. In the 2021-22 season, Bergeron was appointed the 26th captain of the Bruins following the retirement of Zdeno Chara, who also helped the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup.
After putting up a historic campaign under the leadership of Patrice Bergeron in the 2022-23 season, it was an emotional time for the Bruins fans as they saw the departure of their two beloved players, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. The leadership qualities that Bergeron brought to this Boston squad left a huge void to fill.
In that case, replacing Marchand could not have been a better decision for the Boston organization. Brad Marchand has been with the franchise for 15 years and has had the opportunity to learn from the great leaders in the past. Moreover, he also wore the letter "A" on his sweater for the last five seasons.
Due to his competitiveness and tenacity and the leadership qualities he developed throughout his career in Boston, the Bruins named Brad Marchand as the franchise's 27th captain last month.
Following the announcement, the Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs had high praise for Marchand:
"I am extremely proud of Brad and the hockey player he has become," Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs said in a statement. "Brad has been a Bruin for over 15 years and had the opportunity to learn from great leaders in Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron.
"He is ready for this opportunity and our whole team will learn from his competitive nature and tenacity. I am confident he will represent our organization with heart and grit."
The Boston Bruins entered the 2023-24 NHL season under the leadership of Brad Marchand and have won their first two games so far.