Although Brad Marchand is the obvious choice as the next captain of the Boston Bruins after Patrice Bergeron retired this summer, the 35-year-old isn't focused on that as the 2023-24 campaign approaches.

“It's not something that I really think about too much,” the Canadian superstar told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston this week.

“Obviously, it's a big honor to be in the leadership group in this organization when you look at the guys that have been there before. We've always done it collectively as a group so regardless of who wears it, it's a collective thing. Even guys without letters step up a lot of times throughout the year.”

Despite Marchand's selfless comments, the longtime Bruin seems to be a shoo-in to take over the ‘C' as he continues to play exceptional hockey in Massachusetts.

Patrice Bergeron took over the captaincy from Zdeno Chara when the hulking Czech native retired before the 2020-21 campaign, and the six-time Selke Trophy winner figures to pass that along to Marchand before a new campaign gets underway.

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Marchand is the logical choice to succeed Bergeron; he's the teams longest-tenured player, and has played his entire 15-season career in Boston after being drafted No. 71 overall by the team in the 2006 NHL Draft. He has also been an alternate captain for each of the last five seasons.

Even Bergeron himself gave Marchand a ringing endorsement to wear the next ‘C.'

The Nova Scotia, Canada native has played 947 regular-season games with the Bruins and suited up for 146 playoff contests. He helped the squad win the Stanley Cup in 2011, and make two other appearances in 2013 and 2019.

David Krejci wore an ‘A' for the Bruins last season, another letter that will need to be replaced after he joined Bergeron in retirement earlier this summer. David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo also wore the ‘A' last season. The team hasn't been without a captain since the year before Joe Thornton wore the ‘C' in 2001-02, and that almost certainly won't be the case in 2023-24.

Brad Marchand will be the next captain in Boston as the Bruins enter a new era without Bergeron and Krejci.