Nobody likes separation—especially when you have to part ways with your captain. At the moment, nobody can relate to this more than David Pastrnak. It was only a few hours after Jeremy Swayman was celebrating his 26 saves and the 4-0 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning that sadness filled the atmosphere. When the scoreboard finally ticked up a win, in the dressing room, hearts were still trying to get used to it without Brad Marchand. The victory was clean; the performance was sharp, but that bittersweet reality? It hit hard.

No matter how many goals were scored, no matter how many saves were made, nothing could fill the Bruins’ void left behind by Marchand. Despite the efforts of Cole Koepke, who scored two goals; Mark Kastelic, who scored a goal; and Nikita Zadorov, who scored an empty-net goal, something was amiss. David Pastrnak, who passed the puck to Koepke for the second goal, was not only displaying talent but also passion on the ice. And while the team was rejoicing over the victory, there was no doubt that the win was somewhat shrouded in a fog.

David Pastrnak makes a confession!

David Pastrnak didn’t hold back when talking about Brad Marchand’s trade, and honestly? You could feel the emotions pouring out. In a post-game video shared by the Boston Bruins on YouTube, he got real about how tough it’s been. “It’s been very tough, emotional, sad…” Yeah, losing a captain, a brother-in-arms, isn’t just business—it stings deep. But even with all that weight on his heart, Pastrnak made one thing clear: this squad isn’t rolling over.

“You are still a professional hockey player, you have a job to do…we are here to fight to the end. We are not gonna go away. We are gonna keep battling until the last game and see where it takes us.” That’s the kind of fire that keeps a team’s morale intact, even when the locker room feels a little emptier. No doubt, Marchand’s absence leaves a vacuum in the team and for David Pastrnak, but the Bruins? They’re still in this fight, and they’re swinging till the final buzzer. But Brad Marchand wasn’t the only one packing his bags—Boston went full-on trade frenzy.

Justin Brazeau? Off to Minnesota. Charlie Coyle? Colorado bound. Marc McLaughlin? Headed to New Jersey. Brandon Carlo? Toronto’s got him now. And let’s not forget Trent Frederic—his ticket to Edmonton was punched earlier, marking the official start of Boston’s all-out fire sale. But here’s the real kicker—the fans weren’t just upset, they were fuming over Marchand’s exit. And guess what? Even the Bruins’ GM didn’t shy away from the heat, stepping up with a bold confession.

Bruins’ GM makes a bold confession!

While Bruins stars like David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, and Charlie McAvoy wore their heartbreak on their sleeves, the fans? Oh, they were raging. The moment Brad Marchand’s trade became official, the black and gold faithful erupted—not in sadness, but pure, unfiltered fury. And who was the target of their rage? None other than GM Don Sweeney. Fans had already been side-eyeing the idea of trading their captain, but once it became reality, they unleashed their frustration like a full-force slapshot. But Sweeney?

He did not flinch, rather digged in further on his decision. “We didn’t burn it down. We have a lot of guys,” he stated, as if that was ever enough to put out a fire. Spoiler alert—it didn’t. Rather, it only fueled the fire in the comment section of Evan Marinofsky, where the fandom unleashed all the smoke. But here’s the plot twist—this trade wasn’t as last-minute as it seemed. Turns out, Marchand and the Bruins had been trying to find common ground for a while. “Just had a gap. Deep down, we had been talking really from day two of free agency,” Sweeney said at Warrior Ice Arena.

The real issue? Marchand desired a long-term deal beyond the 2024-25 season, but Boston was not ready to take the risk of that and his injuries. And just like that, a deal that once seemed like a sure thing, crumbled, leaving fans blindsided and Marchand officially out of the black and gold. Now, with their captain gone and emotions running high, the only thing left for Bruins fans to do is pick up the pieces—and let’s just say, they’re not doing it quietly while stars like Charlie McAvoy remain heartbroken.