The uncomfortable reality of Marchand and Boston being separate entities was inevitable after the team fell short a couple of years ago.

David Pastrnak is the obvious choice to replace Brad Marchand as Boston Bruins captain, but now he's made some surprise comments on his desire to take the role.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney are ready to prioritize the future over short-term gains — with Boston poised to sell ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.