Brad Marchand wants to stay in Boston and thinks the Bruins team can make the playoffs.

On Sunday, Don Sweeney ruled nothing out at the trade deadline but expressed a desire to keep his captain beyond this year. Marchand is an unrestricted free agent after this season. He has an eight-team no-trade clause.

“That’s always been my ultimate goal. We’ve been in negotiations with Brad and communicating with him throughout the year,” Sweeney said. “We’ll have to have a conversation now that the 4 Nations is over and sit down with Brad and his representatives and have a clearer path in the next two weeks as to what his final outcome will be.”

With less than two weeks until the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline, Marchand repeated his desire to stay and finish his career in Boston.

“I’ve always planned on playing here my entire career. That hasn’t changed,” said Marchand, who is 36 years old. “They’re aware of that. I think everyone is aware of it. It’s a gift to be a player for this team. I take a tremendous amount of pride in it. That’s always been the goal.”

He added: “We’re obviously in talks. I feel like I understand where I’m at personally.”

Marchand said the players need to try to block out the natural anxiety of the deadline and focus on the playoff chase.

“You have no control over things like that. You just can’t get caught up worrying about it,” Marchand said. “The team is always going to do what’s best for the group and the best way they can control the team. That’s completely out of our control.”

The Bruins enter Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card.

“We’re very close to being in a playoff spot. A lot of teams have caught up in the standings behind us,” Marchand said. “We’re right there. We have the ability to win games and put ourselves in a good spot. It’s going to be a fight to the end.”

LIKE MANY OF his teammates, Trent Frederic hasn’t had the year he hoped he would this year, but he’s hoping to still be in Boston at the end of it.

Frederic had a career-best 18 goals and 22 assists last season, but has just eight goals and seven assists this season. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the season.

The downturn in production raises questions about what teams might offer for him and what he can request as a free agent this summer.

Frederic said he’s trying not to overthink it, but he’s hoping to wake up a Bruin on March 8.

“That’s been my goal. I really like playing here. I like the guys. I like all the staff,” he said. “I’m obviously aware of the situation, being a UFA, not having a deal. I’m not oblivious to that. I don’t think like that. If something happens, I’ll react.”

He said he hasn’t thought about how his off year has affected his future.

“I’m sure I’ll look back at it and wish I had a better year, wish I scored more goals here and there, but I’m not too worried about that stuff,” he said.