BOSTON – In some ways, it’s hard to imagine that Brad Marchand’s mentality as a 22-year-old rookie is similar to that of his current mindset as a 36-year-old captain.

But, as he explains it, the parallels become clear.

As the body begins to slow and the skill starts to diminish, a player must, once again, prove that he belongs at hockey’s highest level. If he doesn’t, no matter how much he has accomplished, the end result is not likely to be in his favor.

“It’s completely different…it is, but it’s also, in a lot of ways, the same,” Marchand explained following the first Bruins captains practice of the fall at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday morning. “I feel like as you get older…feel like you almost need to establish yourself like a young guy again. There’s so much talk these days about as you get older you can’t play and teams don’t want or don’t like guys that are in the 30s or mid 30s, whatever it is.

“And it’s almost like you need to reestablish every year that you know you belong, and as a young guy coming in, you need to earn your spot every day, you need to show that you’re a good pro and that you can compete at this level and you can deal with the schedule and the challenge that come with being an NHL player… and you need to earn it.

“As you get older, everyone’s trying to push you out…I’m definitely a lot more comfortable coming in and understanding what it’s like, what’s expected…but in the same sense, you know you need to reestablish every single year you come in…and these young bucks aren’t going to take my job.”

Marchand is set for his 16^th season with the Black & Gold and second as the club’s captain. It is the first time in some seven years that the winger enters the fall with some uncertainty surrounding his contract – which is set to expire at season’s end – though he is not letting that situation loom over his approach to camp.

“You need to look every year to not get comfortable,” said Marchand. “It’s very easy, especially as you get older…when you’ve been around for a long time, you’ve accomplished a lot of things you want to accomplish, you feel comfortable in your financial situation and to want to be around the house more, be with the kids, be involved in sports and activities, not be at the rink or the gym as often, and that’s where guys slip.

“The biggest factor is understanding that every year, guys are coming in and gunning for jobs. And it doesn’t matter who you are, they’re just as happy to take my spot as anyone else’s…understanding where the risks lie, and being comfortable, and trying to push that off as far as you possibly can, where eventually I’ll be on the team when the time comes and not some young buck.”

The Nova Scotia native signed an eight-year contract extension in the fall of 2016 worth an average annual value of $6.13 million. Marchand hardly seems concerned about its expiration.

“I’m going to say this now and kind of leave it at that…but I won’t ever talk about contract stuff in the media,” said Marchand. “I saw a report come up the other day, I think it was the Hockey News… I don’t know where he’s getting this information but it wasn’t from our side, and we’re not going to talk about it.

“Whatever goes on, will stay internal between [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney] and our group. I don’t want to deal with that. I just think there’s enough respect between the two sides that we can deal with it, and I’ll leave it at that. Hopefully you can appreciate that.”

Marchand finished last season with 29 goals and 67 points across a full 82-game slate, though he missed three games in the postseason after taking a vicious hit to the head from Florida’s Sam Bennett in the second round. The Stanley Cup champion was also dealing with a number of other ailments throughout the year that required surgery over the summer.

“I had three surgeries this summer, so I didn’t do a whole lot of training until about two weeks ago,” said Marchand, who noted the procedures were for a torn tendon in his elbow that he suffered last summer, as well his groin and a sports hernia, the latter two injuries occurring late in the 2023-24 campaign.

“I’m just kind of getting back into it…I was skating by myself [ahead of the full captains practice]. The goal is to try to be ready for camp or, if not, very shortly after. But I’m just kind of getting back in the swing of things here now, so I’m going to hit it all head on.”

Wait, There’s More

• Restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman, who remains unsigned, was among a large group of some 30-plus players that took the ice at Warrior on Tuesday morning, as were Charlie McAvoy, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, Pavel Zacha, Andrew Peeke, Mason Lohrei, Johnny Beecher, Matt Poitras, and Justin Brazeau. Newcomers Elias Lindholm, Max Jones, Mark Kastelic, and Joonas Korpisalo also skated.
• Marchand on the Bruins’ offseason additions: “Yeah, I’m excited. A lot of new additions this year, obviously. A lot of really good additions, guys that fit the mold that we try to play. First and foremost, they’re all really good guys, which is a huge factor whenever the team gets anybody. But…the size, the strength, the speed that they brought in, it’s really exciting, really looking forward to seeing how we come together. That’s the toughest part is kind of coming together when you have a lot of new bodies and trying to find a game plan that allows you to have success within the structure of the team…and it’s what we’re trying to start building here now.”
• McAvoy on the acquisitions of Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov: “You bring a guy that plays a 200-foot game that’s extremely responsible…and certainly don’t want to compare the two, but we had someone like that for a long time that plays a game in our system that I think it’s no surprise we’re a defensive first team. We really take a lot of pride in that side of the ice. We have him now…I think he’s going to fit perfectly here. I’m really excited to build a relationship with him and thrilled for the future that he’ll have here…Zadorov, I think he’s big, he’s mean, he’s angry, he has skill, he has all the things that I think you need. He’s someone who everybody has to…you’ve got to know when he’s out on the ice and I think that that’s someone that you really want to have on your team.”
• Marchand on if he’s anticipating to play with Charlie Coyle again this season: “Yeah, I do expect to play with C’s. We came a long way last year and built some good chemistry and it’s something that we continue to work on. The longer you get to play with someone, obviously the more success you’re going to have and more familiar you’re going to get with one another. But yeah, really look forward to continuing that and continue to grow together and build something special.”