Brad Marchand says report he’s close to signing 3-year extension with Bruins is ‘false’

"I'm not going to do it — but I mean, 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 Saturday night, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston and its 36-year-old captain are inching closer and closer to an extension.

“The word is that the Bruins and Marchand are getting closer on an extension, expected to be three years,” Freidman said. “We’ll see what happens in the next little bit, but the word is that they are getting closer.”

But following Boston’s 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, Marchand pushed back against Friedman’s report that both he and the Bruins were inching close to a new contract.

“Elliotte likes talking about me this week, eh? I mean, I mentioned this before. I’m not big about talking about contract stuff in the media,” Marchand said. “I’m not going to do it — but I mean, that report from Elliotte is false.

“But I am not going to talk [about] my contract stuff to the media. But if I was signing a three year extension, it’d be signed. Clearly, Elliotte is just 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 rumored three-year contract would keep him in Boston through the end of the 2027-28 season.

Before the start of Boston’s training camp in September, Marchand stressed that he wasn’t going to discuss contract negotiations with the media.

“I’m gonna say this now and kind of leave it at that; I won’t ever talk about contract stuff in the media,” Marchand said. “I saw a report the other day, I think it was the Hockey News. I don’t know where he’s getting his information.

“It wasn’t from our side. We’re not gonna talk about it. Whatever goes on will stay 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 with it.”

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

While Marchand has yet to cross the t’s and dot the i’s on a new contract yet, the captain has made his intentions known when it came to playing beyond his current contract.

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

“I was very disappointed — missing the last two [Olympics],” Marchand said. “Felt like we got robbed of being there. So that’s definitely a huge goal.

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

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