Letting go of your captain can definitely be that untimely shocker, right? And the hullabaloo is right in the sky with the Boston Bruins trading their captain, Brad Marchand, to the Florida Panthers. Marchand witnessed seasons change in Boston, and so did his fans, who grew up watching him and the team flow on the ice. But do you know what’s brewing in Boston? Well, restless fans with their anger shooting right from the back of the eye.

And why not? It’s more than fair to say that Marchand has been an icon for the Boston Bruins. He’s hit the ice for 1,090 games since 2006, racking up 422 goals, 554 assists, and a solid 976 points. And let’s not forget—he was a key piece in Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup triumph! But all of that, and what do you get from the team? The team gives you up. Ouch! Well, that hits you right there!

In the aftermath of the trade, the Bruins top brass all released statements. GM Don Sweeney stated, “Being underestimated was all the motivation Brad Marchand needed to work harder than anyone to earn a chance to grow from a bottom-six agitator to NHL superstar. Then he evolved into a true leader, a captain, an example for all those who aspired to wear the Spoked-B to show them what it takes to compete and win at the highest level and, even more, to do so for the Boston Bruins.

On behalf of my family and the entire Bruins organization, I want to thank Brad for all of his contributions as one of the greatest Bruins and to wish he, Katrina, Sloane, Swayer and Rue continued success and happiness. Thank you, Brad.” Well, it pretty much says that it was more like a statement to keep his collar up than a tribute to the captain.

It’s no surprise that the statements rang hollow to fans’ ears. After all, there’s really no good way to trade your captain and the face of your franchise away. It’s Brad Marchand. And the fans were not at all hesitant to make their ire known.

The statements from the management summoned nothing but fire

Decisions shall be called out! No one can stop it. Starting with Don Sweeney, the GM of the Boston Bruins has heard it more than once about his terrible moves in crafting the team. Infamously speaking, we all know how Don Sweeney has never been able to pass the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not just that, but also his record of firing multiple coaches who bagged the Jack Adams Award. As one fan said, “disguising don sweeney PR inside a farewell to marchand is hilarious. this is why a GM who has gotten past round 2 just once in 10 years, ruined the team’s prospect pool/future, fired 3 jack adams winners, and who burns bridges w players has never even felt his seat get warm.”

Another wrote about how all their talk of culture was nothing but lip service , “All 3 of these men are involved in tearing down the “culture” they care so deeply about. Especially cam and don from franchise legends to tarnishing their legacies with these moves.”

The frustration gets thicker! Because it isn’t just about fans watching Brad Marchand go, but also the kind of investment they’ve made into their team. An average regular season ticket can cost anywhere from $70 to $300. You pay for it, but then what do the head honchos do? Fail you! A fan writes, “Pathetic that ownership is still backing management. Considering what you charge us for tickets, this is a slap in the face to every fan.”

Another fan was cynical about the future of the franchise, “there you have it folks … the worst GM Team in the league has the full support of the ownership group … this is why nothing will change.   Kings of boston hockey … untouchables with zero accountability.” Sweeney has persistently shown inaction when decisive changes were needed, which then led to stagnation in the team’s performance. But it looks like the GM team is unlikely to face any kind of accountability there.

But what about the CEO? A bag full of “support” to the GM team for “difficult decisions.” Yes, that’s where the hilarity begins! A fan commented, “What a joke…all the gave to the organization…and he’s the one you wanted to be cheap with…absolute joke. Way to insult one of the greatest bruins ever, while at the same time pissing off the fans. Well done.”

Brad Marchand dedicated 16 long years to the Bruins. And for someone like Marchand, who was the heart and soul of the team and intended to remain in Boston for the remainder of his career, the authoritarian, heavily ‘sympathetic’ monologues from those in charge did nothing to diffuse tensions. For the fans, the statements amounted to ‘all words and no play.’