"Fire Sweeney" "Should have been Bruin for life": Fans tear up over 'thank you' video for Brad Marchand after Panthers' trade

NHL fans shared their strong reactions in the aftermath of former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand being traded to the Florida Panthers in the closing moments of the trade deadline on Friday.

On Saturday, the Bruins’ official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a memorial video thanking Marchand for his time with the franchise.

"Thank you, Brad, for 16 incredible years," the caption read.

Bruins fans wasted no time sharing how they felt about the move. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney & Co. came under fire from fans on social media.

"fire sweeney," one user posted.

"Brad should have been a Bruin for life. League needs an addendum to the salary cap for 10+ year veterans that allows teams to rebuild AND retain legacy players like Brad," another added.

A majority of the reactions and posts about the video were in the same vein, with the online community criticizing the Bruins' front office.

"Almost as bad as letting Bobby Orr go," one user posted.

"Read the room admin. We all hate you guys for this," another said.

"Not sure I have the stomach to watch this yet," a user reacted.

However, a few users welcomed the move, feeling that it might be for the best for Marchand to move on.

"This video gave me chills reliving his career, but also a lot of sadness knowing that it’s over. Wish him all the best, go get another cup Marchy!" one fan said.

"It was time," another said.

"We’ll treat him good, pinky swear 🙏🏻," a fan said.

Bruins' general manager hints at Brad Marchand's return

Following the shock trade, Bruins' general manager Don Sweeney opened up about the events that led to it. Sweeney hinted that the franchise would welcome Marchand back, possibly in the offseason.

"I love Brad. I’ve said all along," Sweeney said. "We’ve been trying to sign Brad all year long. We just — had a gap there, and I respect where he believes his market value is. I hope he respects our position, because he’s beloved here. I would never close the door."

Marchand spent all 16 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins. He was the last active member of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Marchand is set to face off against his old team on Tuesday when the Florida Panthers travel to TD Garden.