‘My Family Is Your Family’

Brad Marchand is onto the next chapter of his hockey career, but he thanked Bruins fans before finally closing the book on Boston.

The Bruins traded their captain and 16-year veteran to the Florida Panthers shortly before Friday’s NHL trade deadline, ending one of the greatest runs by a player in franchise history. Marchand was a fan favorite for what he did on the ice, but he was also revered off the ice for embracing the community in the nearly two decades he spent in New England.

So it should come as no surprise that Marchand fronted a heartfelt note to B’s fans in the Monday edition of The Boston Globe.

This is what the note said:

To Boston,

Thank you for welcoming me into this great city when I was just a young Canadian kid looking to break it into the best league in the world. You allowed me to achieve my dream of playing in the National Hockey League and winning the Stanley Cup. For this I am forever grateful. You also embraced me from Day One, a and me immediately brought me into your family. Since that time, I have become a husband and a father to a beautiful family. My family is your family. We are Bostonians now and forever.

Representing this city as captain of the Boston Bruins was the greatest honor of my life, and it was a privilege to wear the Spoked B over the past 16 years. Boston will always be a part of me, and it will always be a part of my family. There are far too many people I want to thank to be able to include in this short note, but just know how grateful I am for the time I spent in Boston playing for the Bruins.

Thank you.

(See the full-size version of the letter by clicking here.)

Marchand is still dealing with an upper body injury, and it’s unclear when he’ll make his debut for the Panthers. Florida officially introduced him Monday morning.