Bruins

“I’m not going to, but I want to say that report from Elliotte is false.”

Is Brad Marchand close to putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Bruins?

Speaking on Sportsnet on Saturday night, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston and its 36-year-old captain are getting closer to an extension.

“Word is the Bruins and Marchand are closing in on an extension, expected to be three years,” Freidman said. “We’ll see what happens in the next moment, but they say it’s coming.”

But after Boston’s 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, Marchand dismissed Friedman’s report that both he and the Bruins were closing in on a new contract.

“Elliotte likes to talk about me this week, doesn’t he? I mean, I mentioned this before. I’m not very interested in talking about contract stuff in the media,” Marchand said. “I’m not going to do it, but I want to say that the report from Elliotte is false.

“But I’m not going to talk (about) my contract stuff to the media. But if I signed a three-year extension, he would sign. Elliotte is clearly wrong there. So that’s about it.”

Marchand, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season, will turn 37 on May 11. A three-year deal is rumored to keep him in Boston through the end of the 2027-28 season.

Before the start of training camp in Boston in September, Marchand emphasized that he would not discuss contract negotiations with the media.

“I’ll say it now and leave it at that; I will never talk about contract stuff in the media.” Marchand said. “I saw a report the other day, I think it was Hockey News. I don’t know where he gets his information.

“It wasn’t from us. We won’t talk about it. Whatever happens will remain internal between (Don Sweeney) and our group. I’ll leave it at that. I think there’s enough respect between the two sides that we can deal.”

Marchand had a quieter start to the 2024-25 season (four assists in the first eight games), but he chipped in with a leadoff assist and the overtime winner for Boston against Toronto.

While Marchand has yet to move on from a new contract, the captain has made his intentions known when it comes to playing beyond his current contract.

Speaking in February, Marchand expressed his desire to represent Canada at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

“I was very disappointed – I missed the last two (Olympics)” Marchand said. “We felt like we were robbed of being there. So that’s definitely a huge goal.

“I’m going to do everything I can to be there and make sure I’m in the best shape possible, in the best position possible to try and be in that team. It’s a long time away, but definitely a nice goal to set and try to pursue.”

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Conor Ryan is a writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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