NHL analyst bluntly calls out Bruins GM Don Sweeney for 'giving up' on captain Brad Marchand

The Boston Bruins officially signaled the end of an era, trading longtime forward Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline in what could be the first step in a teardown.

Additionally, the Bruins traded forward Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche while sending defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In return for Marchand, the Bruins received a conditional second-round draft pick that automatically turns into a first-round draft pick in either 2027 or 2028 if the Panthers win their first two postseason rounds and Marchand appears in at least half of the games.

But the fact that the Bruins decided to throw in the towel with Marchand isn't sitting well with analyst Mike Grinnell, a routine contributor to Spittin' Chiclets and BarStool sports.

"If the Bruins at the deadline signed Brad Marchand, and they went and traded for Brock Nelson and made additions then, yeah, put on the gas pedal," Grinnell said. "Let's go win this thing. I didn't make this decision. Don Sweeney made the decision to throw in the towel. And any m*ron out there that says the Bruins are better without Brad Marchand, go f*ck yourself."

Marchand's tenure with the Bruins is now over after over 10 years, a Stanley Cup win, a pair of President's Trophy wins, and another two appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.

Brad Marchand understands the nature of the business

While professional athletes are human beings with real emotions and feelings, they also understand that their work is, at the end of the day, a business. Difficult decisions are made that affect players with deep roots within an organization, and in turn, affect their respective families.

Marchand, who has been in the NHL since 2010, is well aware of the difficult personal circumstances that come with being a professional athlete - which sometimes includes not being able to agree on a new contract.

“If we were in the playoffs at the point in time, we’d probably be having a much different conversation, and I know that,” Marchand said of Friday’s trade. “It’s something we had talked about previously, but we weren’t — and at that point, very tough decisions have to be made. And the one thing that I always respect, I told Cam and Sweens this — they have a job to do, and they have to make the best decisions for the team."

The Bruins face the Ottawa Senators in a critical divisional matchup on Thursday night, starting at 7:00 PM EST.