Brad Marchand found a way to insert himself into the Ottawa Senators’ captaincy conversation, and he didn’t exactly come in with a soft touch.
With the Senators reportedly getting close to naming Brady Tkachuk’s replacement, the Florida Panthers winger weighed in Monday night and took a shot at Tim Stutzle, one of the three names believed to be in the mix alongside Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.
The debate picked up after an Instagram account called “Puckempire” shared a week-old post referencing the Ottawa Citizen’s report that Ottawa was narrowing its search for a new captain. Marchand responded to that chatter with his own opinion, even though the decision now sits with Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, and head coach Travis Green.
Marchand’s comment landed like the kind of cheap shot he’s built a reputation on. Whether his issue is with Stutzle himself or something else entirely isn’t clear, but the Senators won’t be making their choice based on what the 38-year-old winger thinks.
Stutzle, 24, has taken on a bigger leadership profile and has sharpened his game at both ends of the ice. There’s room to debate whether he should wear the C, but Marchand’s decision to jump into the discussion only added another layer to a conversation that was already starting to heat up.
The timing also makes the whole thing a little more interesting. Marchand was dealt to the Panthers on June 21 in exchange for four draft picks, and he’ll be teammates with Tkachuk in Florida after spending plenty of time around him over the years.
His recent surgery means he’ll likely miss the start of the season, so he probably won’t be on the ice when Tkachuk returns to Ottawa on Oct. 21.
Stutzle’s name has drawn scrutiny before. In his first year in the league, former Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher called him “a diver,” but that label no longer fits.
For now, Marchand’s latest swipe looks like another example of the same edge he’s carried throughout his career. A Nova Scotia native, he skates with Ottawa winger Drake Batherson, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche near Halifax in the summer, and this kind of noise is hardly new territory for him.
In Other News...
Bruins Fans Will Love Why JJ Peterka Could Fit Fast
The Bruins added a quick, skilled winger in JJ Peterka when they swung a deal with the Utah Mammoth that cost them two first-round picks, and the fit already sounds promising from Peterkas side. After stops in Buffalo and a run with Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he spoke positively about landing in Boston, pointing to a comfort level with the coaching staff and some of the people around the room as reasons the transition could come fast.
Don Sweeney made it clear why the Bruins paid that price, emphasizing Peterkas speed and skill as traits that can help a team trying to stay competitive. For Boston, the appeal is obvious: Peterka brings a different gear to the lineup, and the next question is how quickly he can translate that burst into the kind of role the Bruins have in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bruins Still Waiting As Training Camp Gets Closer
With Bostons season opener against the Rangers coming on Sept. 29, the calendar is starting to work against a few familiar names still on the market. New Yorks recent addition of Eeli Tolvanen gave the Eastern Conference contender another piece, while several former Bruins continue to wait for their next NHL landing spot as training camp approaches.
Among the veterans still unsigned are Matt Grzelcyk, Mike Reilly and James van Riemsdyk, all of whom remain in free agency with camp drawing closer. If they are going to crack an NHL roster in the coming weeks, a professional tryout contract could wind up being the most realistic route back into a camp setting. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Playoff Hopes Suddenly Feel More Fragile In The Atlantic
As the Atlantic Division retools around bigger swings and louder headlines, Boston has taken a far quieter approach. Florida has already changed the conversation by adding Brady Tkachuk and reshuffling its goaltending, while other teams in the division are being sized up for bounce-back or backslide seasons. Against that backdrop, the Bruins have made only modest offseason noise, with Don Sweeneys biggest move coming in the draft-day deal for JJ Peterka, leaving the roster looking more familiar than transformed.
That is why a recent look at the teams most likely to disappoint in 2026-27 felt a little telling for Boston, even in absence. Joe Yerdons list included Buffalo, Florida, Ottawa and Detroit, but the Bruins were not on it at all, despite the limited upgrades and the broader uncertainty hanging over the division. For a club trying to stay in the playoff mix, being overlooked as a possible underperformer can be its own kind of warning sign. [Read more 🡒]