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Brad Marchand left the Boston Bruins at the 2025 trade deadline, and he's finally opened up on how things ended, throwing the team under the bus in the process.
After spending his entire career with the Boston Bruins, Brad Marchand was moved by the team at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, and thus far, he's proved that he's capable of thriving in Florida.
However, it appears as though Marchand never quite expected things to play out the way that they did. He revealed that he didn't expect to enter the 2024-25 season without a new deal, something the Bruins didn't want to give him.
"I didn't really expect to have the contract negotiations that I had. I thought that was going to go a lot different, which obviously I think impacted me mentally this year a lot. And I was frustrated by it. I never pictured even entering the season without a contract."
Marchand would expand on that, explaining how difficult it is for players entering a contract year and how it can affect them, noting that it forces you to be selfish, throwing the Bruins under the bus for allowing things to get this far.
"I didn't really want to play contract years out because I never really wanted to have that stress. I always wanted the security of maybe take a little less and you get a deal done early and you have the security of it being done and you can just worry about playing hockey.
"I find when you go into a season playing (without a contract), things matter. Your stats matter more. So, it doesn't just become about the team. When you're on term and you're on a contract, it can be all about the team and you can sacrifice whatever you need to to be part of the team. But in contract years, you can't do that. You have to be a little bit selfish."
Ultimately, this move has been the best thing for Marchand's career, and with these latest comments, it would be very surprising if he ever considered returning to the Boston Bruins in free agency.
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Rangers Must Trust Young Forwards in 2025-26
The New York Rangers are coming off a disappointing 2024-25 season, and newly hired head coach Mike Sullivan has some tough decisions to make about line combinations and who will make the opening night lineup. They have a mix of veterans as well as some key young forwards who did not get much playing time last season. This season, they need to show more faith in their young forwards and give them consistent playing time. Rangers’ Young Forwards Were Frequently Benched for Veterans in 2024-25 Last season, the Rangers called up a few of their top prospects, as Brett Berard and Gabriel Perreault made their NHL debuts and Brennan Othmann played in 22 games after playing three games in 2023-24. However, none of the three got many opportunities, as then-head coach Peter Laviolette usually opted to play veterans over them. He also decided to bench Kaapo Kakko, who was then traded to the Seattle Kraken, even though he was playing well in a bottom-six role. Berard is a quick skater and, despite playing in a bottom-six role, he was noticeable on the forecheck, drove to the net, and made the most of his opportunities. He had six goals and four assists in 35 games, while averaging 10:43 in ice time per game. Like Berard, Othmann played in a bottom-six role, and though he was effective on the forecheck, he did not capitalize on his scoring opportunities. He finished with no goals and two assists in 22 games, while averaging 9:58 in ice time per game. He did play well defensively and was a plus-7. The Rangers also made a curious decision as general manager Chris Drury signed Perreault, the team’s top prospect, to a three-year, entry-level contract. At the time, just eight games remained in the season, and the expectation was that he would get lots of ice time with New York outside a playoff position. He started in a top-six role, but quickly moved down to the bottom-six and was then benched by Laviolette. He averaged 14:26 in ice time per game in five games and was held without a point. A big bright spot for the Rangers last season was the play of 23-year-old Will Cuylle, who worked his way into the top six with his combination of grit, physicality, and skill. He led the team in hits with 301 and finished with 20 goals, 25 assists, and was plus-12 while averaging 15:05 in ice time per game. Rangers Need to Give Their Young Forwards More Opportunities For years, the Rangers have struggled to develop their top forward prospects. They have often benched them for defensive mistakes or played them in a bottom-six role. While that strategy made sense when they were a Cup contender and had lots of veterans playing at a high level, they missed the postseason in 2024-25, and many of their veteran forwards struggled. Though Berard, Othmann, and Perreault may make some mistakes, they need to either get consistent ice time in the NHL or develop in the American Hockey League (AHL). All three of them are skilled players, with enough upside that they deserve an opportunity to prove themselves. The Rangers want their forwards to play well defensively and play with physicality. While Cuylle is a perfect fit, they also need to develop highly skilled prospects who do not play with as much physicality. Perreault had 19 goals and 41 assists as a freshman at Boston College in 2023-24, and he had 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games with them last season. He has the skill to become a top-six forward for years to come, but that will not happen if they bench him every time he makes a mistake. The Rangers Need to Learn From Past Mistakes Laviolette sent the wrong message last season when he benched players like Kakko and Berard, while continuing to play veterans who made much more egregious defensive mistakes over and over. Sullivan needs to show faith in the Rangers’ top prospects and give them a true opportunity to prove themselves. There is nothing wrong with allowing prospects to develop in the AHL, but if the Rangers’ top prospects earn a spot in the lineup, they should not be buried on the fourth line and benched after every turnover. They need to learn from their past mistakes in developing their top forward prospects and handle them differently this season.
Browns HC, Shedeur Sanders clear air on controversial benching during two-minute drill
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders appeared to be frustrated with Kevin Stefanski when the head coach took him out for the final offensive drive of Saturday's preseason game. The Browns made a curious decision to put in Tyler Huntley to lead the offense in the final two minutes of their final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Huntley, who has almost no chance of making the 53-man roster, engineered a six-play, 46-yard drive that ended in a game-winning field goal to give the Browns a 19-17 win. Following the game, Stefanski was asked about why Sanders approached him before Huntley went in. Stefanski claimed the rookie quarterback was just being a competitor, and there was nothing more to it than that, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Sanders told reporters he didn't know the Browns were benching him for the two-minute drill. "I didn't know I was out, Sanders said via video from ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. "I was on a bike that was powering up... I was powering up for that two-minute drive. Because that's just a situation every quarterback dreams for... I thought I was in. So then (Stefanski) told me I wasn't in. I was like, 'Ok.'" Sanders left the game after leading the offense to five straight punts. He struggled in his second preseason appearance, going 3-of-6 passing for 14 yards. The fifth-round pick took six sacks for -50 yards. Sanders didn't want to leave on that low note. The Browns shouldn't have let him. Stefanski should have given Sanders the chance to run the two-minute offense and gain valuable experience instead of giving reps to a player who won't be on the roster by Tuesday afternoon.
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Winners and losers from Packers' dominant preseason win over Seahawks
The Green Bay Packers have completed their last preseason game before the start of the NFL regular season, doing so in dominant fashion against the Seattle Seahawks. With a final score of 20-7, the Packers got the final word after the two teams had several brutal fisticuffs on Thursday’s joint practice. The team had several players star in their roles during their final auditions before roster cuts on Tuesday, but while Saturday’s game was all Green Bay, several players also missed their chance to leave a lasting impression. Winner: Ty’Ron Hopper impresses with several splash Plays Any Green Bay Packers fans who watched Saturday afternoon’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks are now familiar with the name Ty’Ron Hopper. The second-year linebacker out of Missouri was all over the field, making several impressive plays. He finished with three tackles, a sack, and some good plays in coverage as well. Additionally, he had a forced fumble on a fourth-down play where Seahawks QB Jalen Milroe had achieved enough yardage to move the chains, but found himself unable to hold onto the ball. Hopper was not a name getting a lot of attention entering camp, but there’s no chance of him not making the roster following an excellent preseason. With starters Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie cemented as the top three ‘backers for the team, Hopper appears to firmly have his hands on the reins for the fourth spot. Winner: Kalen King makes his presence felt Kalen King may have been an outside shot to make the roster a few weeks ago, but it seems like many think the former Penn State star has done enough. King ran with some of the Green Bay starters on defense during the opening periods of the game and had several important contributions. None stands out more than his fumble recovery, which was one of four turnovers forced by the team on the afternoon. In addition to the fumble recovery, he had a strong tackle on Jalen Milroe as the Seattle quarterback scampered towards the end zone, which resulted in no gain. While the secondary remains an area of concern for the Pack, King looks like he may have done enough to ensure he is a part of it entering the season. Loser: Rookie Anthony Belton still has a lot to learn Rookie offensive tackle Anthony Belton has certainly had his struggles this preseason. Just a week after being called for five first-half penalties against the Indianapolis Colts, Belton continued to show up with some poor moments against Seattle. Although he was only called for one false start on Saturday afternoon, head coach Matt LaFleur was seen ripping into Belton during the late first half. Later, it was revealed that LaFleur was upset with Belton’s stance on a third–down play where the team was hoping to secure field goal position. Belton will likely not be counted on for many snaps on offense this upcoming season. He clearly has a way to go before he can develop into a reliable player. Loser: Sean Clifford fails to impress in third-string QB battle King certainly had a strong day, but for another Penn State alum, it was more of a struggle. Reserve quarterback Sean Clifford did not have his best outing in limited action. Clifford finished 6-9 passing, but managed only 19 yards. He had multiple inaccurate balls on some shorter throws that many would expect him to convert. Competing with Clifford for the last quarterback spot is Taylor Elgersma, who had a better day. He went 6-8 for 33 yards. Even though both QBs did not do much of note against Seattle, Elgersma has had a much better preseason overall. In fact, his QB rating was over double of that of Clifford’s entering the final preseason game. Saturday’s contest was a chance for Clifford to rebound, and he failed to take advantage of the opportunity. One other advantage that Elgersma has is that he is four years younger than Clifford. Despite Clifford being just a second-year pro, he is already 27 years old. Theoretically, Elgersma has more room to grow if he was kept around.
Steelers Get Promising News Regarding The Return Of Several Playmakers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a rash of injuries following the 2025 preseason, headlined by an MCL Sprain to first-round pick defensive end Derrick Harmon in their third and final game. However, there might not be anyone they need to get healthy more than wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who suffered an oblique injury early in camp and has yet to play in 2025. With depth lacking at the position, the Steelers will need Austin to be ready to go right away - and they just received a promising update regarding his status. With the team practicing on Saturday, the status of several players was brought up by Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "It's good to get guys working their way back. We have some guys that have been limited in their participation and less so today. Guys like Calvin Anderson, Calvin Austin, Jonnu [Smith], [Cory] Trice, Juan [Thornhill], and Donte Kent," Tomlin explained. While Austin had been practicing individually the past few days, he missed all three preseason games for Pittsburgh. Austin was less than clear when asked if he would be ready for Week 1, so it's good to get some confirmation that he is ramping up and the team is optimistic. Austin, the 5'9" speed threat out of Memphis, had a breakout year in 2024. After not playing his rookie season and having a limited role in 2023, Austin had a career high 36 receptions, 548 yards, and 4 touchdowns in his latest season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see those numbers explode even more in 2025 with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center, but first, Austin has to get healthy. Steelers Getting Healthier As Regular Season Approaches As Tomlin mentioned, several other faces returned to practice in addition to Austin. Among those were new tight end Jonnu Smith, who was traded to the Steelers from the Miami Dolphins in June after a career season. Smith hasn't played in a game yet either this year, although it's less clear if his absence was injury related or simply a matter of resting a veteran. Other returning players include cornerback Cory Trice, safety Juan Thornhill, offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, and defensive back Donte Kent. While getting all of these players back is crucial, there's no position that's thinner for Pittsburgh than wide receiver. Without Austin in the lineup, the Steelers are depending on Roman Wilson, who played just 5 snaps in 2024, to fill the role of WR2 behind DK Metcalf. Wilson showed a lot of promise in college at Michigan, and has had a strong preseason, but has yet to prove it in the regular season. The Steelers are aware that they lack receiver depth as well, and are still open to bringing in outside help at the position. On Tuesday, free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis had a second visit with the team, although he left without a contract. While the Steelers are depending on a number of players in the 2025 season, there's not a position group they can afford an injury to less than wide receiver. If an injury were to strike Metcalf or Austin again, the outlook would be bleak. While there's still no promise that Austin will be ready to suit up for Week 1, his participation in practice is surely a step in the right direction.
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