Bruins after dark

The Boston Bruins are staring down a leadership void they haven’t had to face in nearly two decades.

Bruins leadership picture remains unknown following Marchand’s exit  

Brad Marchand, the fiery winger who wore the “C” this past season, was traded away at the deadline—leaving the Bruins without a captain for the first time since Zdeno Chara’s retirement set off a leadership handoff to Patrice Bergeron, then to Marchand.

But this time, the succession plan isn’t so clear.

Don Sweeney didn’t rule out the idea of playing next season without a captain.

Appearing on the “100% Hockey” podcast, the Bruins GM offered a candid look into where the organization stands.

We’re gonna go through that process, as well, and make that (determination) organizationally whether that’s the best decision for us,

Sweeney said.

I’ve described the fact that we need to reestablish what our leadership group is.

Obviously, over the course of the last three years, we’ve had a lot of turnover and I believe it’s an organic situation and one that’s not forced.

The Bruins have leaned heavily on veteran presence for years.

Now, for the first time in a long while, the team is asking: who leads this group next?

Pastrnak, McAvoy lead internal conversations—no decision yet  

It’s no surprise that David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy are in the thick of the captaincy discussion.

They’re cornerstone pieces, they’ve matured into leadership roles, and they’re vocal presences in the locker room.

But even with those two on deck, Sweeney is signaling caution.

We have some great guys that are looking forward to filling those voids,

he said.

Peel back a year ago, I thought a lot of this transition was going to happen a year ago with the departure of Patrice. Some of the things guys were going through, we had a difficult time having that galvanized leadership approach to things, and we need to go about getting back to reestablishing that.

The message is clear: this isn’t about slapping a letter on a jersey.

Boston wants someone who earns the “C”—someone who naturally rises to the moment.

And based on Sweeney’s remarks, they’re still figuring out who that might be.

Also looming is the head coaching search.

That hire could influence who ultimately gets the nod—or whether anyone gets it at all.

With Bergeron and Marchand gone, the Bruins are entering a new chapter. Leadership has always been a foundational piece of their identity.

The question now is who’s ready—and who the room is ready to follow.