- Don Sweeney says the Bruins will name a captain before their Sept. 29 opener
- Boston has gone without a C since trading Brad Marchand in March 2025
- Read below for what Charlie McAvoy said about the race with David Pastrnak
The Bruins are done rolling without a captain.
Don Sweeney opened Boston’s first media session of training camp by answering the question before a single reporter could ask it. The C is getting handed out, and it is happening inside the next two weeks.
Sweeney raised it himself during his opening statement at TD Garden.
“We are going to announce a captain this year. And we’ll do that before opening night. So nobody has to ask who it is or whatnot. We’ve spent a lot of time, we understand the legacy of our organization, and we want to do it the right way.”
Boston has not had a captain since Brad Marchand was traded to the Panthers on March 7, 2025. Last season was the first time since 2001-02 that the franchise went a full year without one.
David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm carried the alternate duties in the meantime, with Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov also wearing an A at points.
A follow-up question pushed Sweeney on why the call took two seasons to make.
“We took our time. We allowed a leadership group last year; we know who is at the forefront of that leadership group. But last year was a good example of allowing players that are going to be in that required leadership role to organically step forward.”
Watch Sweeney walk through it:
Pastrnak and McAvoy are the two obvious names. Pastrnak arrived in 2014, McAvoy in 2017, and both came up inside a room run by Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara.
McAvoy was asked last week whether the loser of that race would take it badly.
“No, no. I mean look, we’ve been here a long time the two of us. Dave’s going to be, I think, a Hall of Famer, I think he’ll be retired here, he’s done so much. I don’t think there would be any friction.”
Here is McAvoy handling it at Warrior Ice Arena:
Cam Neely floated the by-committee route back in August, saying the Bruins did not need a C unless one guy really stood out. Sweeney shut that door.
Camp is short this fall, with only four preseason games on the calendar before Boston opens on Sept. 29. Whoever gets the letter finds out within 12 days.
