Brad Marchand Addresses Possible Bruins Return In Offseason

The Bruins said goodbye to Brad Marchand, but the former Boston captain might not be away for too long.

Marchand will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. That means the Bruins hypothetically could sign the 36-year-old months after trading him to the Florida Panthers. General manager Don Sweeney admitted he would not “close the door” on the idea but said it was a question for Marchand to better answer.

He did exactly that at TD Garden on Tuesday.

“I don’t know, I guess, is how I would respond to that. I don’t know what the future brings in terms of how it plays in the summertime,” Marchand told reporters, per Conor Ryan of Boston.com. “I know it didn’t come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially. But that’s to be seen. I’m sure we’ll have a conversation down the road, but I don’t know where that goes. It doesn’t change my love for the city, and the will to want to be here has never changed and it will never change.”

Marchand participated in Panthers morning skate Tuesday morning. However, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters the 2011 Stanley Cup champion is still week-to-week with a shoulder injury.

Nonetheless, it could be a memorable atmosphere with Marchand in the building for the first time since the NHL trade deadline move.