There's a very real human side to the transactional nature of professional sports.
That's certainly true for the Boston Bruins, who ahead of the NHL trade deadline on Friday sent away Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo.
It's tough for those heading to new cities, but just as difficult is the situation for those who are left behind, which multiple Bruins shared in a story released by The Athletic on Saturday night.
"When I woke up today, I honestly thought it was a dream," Boston alternate captain David Pastrnak said. "Yesterday, with so much going on, today the reality hits. That, I would say, was a little harder this morning."
Marchand was the biggest loss for the Bruins and their fanbase. He spent 16 years in Boston, scoring 422 goals and dishing out 554 assists in the process.
MORE: Why did the Bruins trade Brad Marchand?
Coyle had played seven seasons for the Bruins, compiling 230 points over that span.
Carlo was drafted by the Bruins and broke into the NHL as a 20-year old for Boston in 2016.
"I love those guys," goaltender Jeremy Swayman told The Athletic. "The fact that we can't continue to play together, make memories and push through is devastating."
The Bruins took the ice for the first time without their teammates on Saturday night and pulled out an impressive 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"The message in here was just, 'We still have a job to do,'" Swayman said.
Having a job to do doesn't make it any easier to deal with the departure of a trio of close-knit teammates.
"I know none of those guys wanted to leave and they wanted to see it through here," Swayman said. "We had the ability to see it through here with those guys. That's just the most devastating part, I think. It was a roller-coaster of emotions. The human side of me was crushed."
MORE: