Bruins ownership releases statement on Brad Marchand trade.

The Boston Bruins shocked the National Hockey League and their fan base on Friday when they proceeded to sell off assets ahead of the NHL's Trade Deadline, effectively marking the end of an era of long playoff success for the Bruins franchise.

There was no move that was more shocking however than the one that Bruins captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, a divisional rival. Not only was the thought of trading Marchand to the Panthers, a team that had been a thorn in the side of the Bruins in recent years, doing the unthinkable but it was made that much worse when fans saw the meager return the Bruins received in return.

A conditional second round draft pick was all that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was able to pry from the Panthers for a player that had loyally served the franchise for nearly two decades, leading many to call for both he and Bruins president Cam Neely to be fired.

On Saturday, the Bruins responded to the tidal wave of backlash from their own fan base by releasing a trio of statements that quite frankly only seem to have made things worse.

The first and most controversial of these statements came from ownership, with Charlie Jacobs expressing his full confidence in the Bruins front office moving forward.

From Jacobs:

In Boston we've been fortunate to witness the rise of generational talent who fostered a culture of excellence within our locker room and led our club to victory.
Brad Marchand, our captain, Stanley Cup champion and Bruin of 16 years, will forever be a part of that legacy. While we made our best efforts to keep Brad in black and gold for the rest of his playing career, he now embarks on the next chapter of his journey. We wish him, his wife Katrina and their three children Sloane, Sawyer and Rue the utmost success.

Cam, Don and the hockey operations team have my full support as they make these very difficult decisions, which we collectively believe will set our franchise up for a new era of success in the future. Our goal remains unchanged: to be a Stanley Cup Championship-driven organization. Together, we are charting a course for the next century.

It is the statement of support for Sweeney and Neely that seems to have riled up fans the most, and that wasn't helped by the fact that both Neely and Sweeney released statements of their own.

From Neely:

Brad wore the Black and Gold with a tremendous amount of pride for 16 years. He embodied what it means to be a Bruin. His dedication and contributions both on and off the ice leave a lasting impact, and I personally wish he, Katrina, Sloane, Sawyer and Rue all the best in their next chapter.

From Sweeney:

Being underestimated was all the motivation Brad Marchand needed to work harder than anyone to earn a chance to grow from bottom-six agitator to NHL superstar. Then he evolved into a true leader, a captain, an example for all those who aspired to wear the Spoked-B to show them what it takes to compete and win at the highest level and, even more, to do so for the Boston Bruins.

On behalf of my family and the entire Bruins organization, I want to thank Brad for all of his contributions as one of the greatest Bruins and to wish he, Katrina, Sloane, Sawyer and Rue continued success and happiness. Thank you, Brad.

This appears to have been an attempt on the part of the Bruins to smooth things over, but judging by the response from fans it has had the opposite effect. Here are just a few of the most popular responses:

Something tells me the Bruins will be dealing with the fallout of Friday's moves for years to come.