All stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com.
Next up on my list is everyone’s favorite pest and the player opposing fans love to hate, forward Brad Marchand! Marchand appeared in 79 games for the Bruins last season, in which he produced 36 goals and 64 assists. He then played in all 24 playoff games for the team on their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, through which he tallied nine goals and 14 assists. Drafted in the third round (71st overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Bruins, Marchand has appeared in 681 career NHL games, over which he has recorded 262 games and 297 assists. The 31-year-old left wing has only played for the Bruins organization over his ten season NHL and 11 season professional career.
Ah, Marchand. One mention of his name among most other fanbases in the NHL triggers many angry and aggressive reactions. But, Bruins fans love him, and for many great reasons. He’s an elite (yes, elite. Not just good. Not even just great. Certainly not just a pest. Elite.) player in the league and he is an invaluable member of the Bruins. Clearly, a lot of others, namely the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association (PHWA) agree, as he finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting for this past season. He crossed the 100 point plateau for the first time his career this season at the age of 31, and that alone says something about how good he is. Marchand has improved seemingly every season he’s been in the NHL, and it’s not often you see that happen, and it’s far less often that you see players having their best seasons at his age. He’s an incredible two-way player who has developed into an excellent play-maker in addition to being a phenomenal goal-scorer. He’s incredibly shifty and creative, and he’s a scoring threat not just on the power-play and at even-strength, but also short-handed. He’s also a clutch player, and he scores a lot of game-winning and important insurance goals, and he’s the Bruins all-time leading overtime goal-scorer. It’s truly amazing how he’s transformed himself from a fourth-line grinder and pest to one of the best wingers in the league. He’s also an absolute steal contract-wise and on one of the most team-friendly deals in the league, as he carries just a $6.125 million cap hit. He’s worth far more than that, but he doesn’t appear to care or regret signing it right before he broke out, and I think I speak for all Bruins fans and everyone within the organization in saying we’ll take not having to pay him what he’s actually worth.
Unfortunately for Marchand, the rest of the league still chooses to view him as mainly a pest, or as he’s more commonly called, a rat. To be fair, he’s still an agitator and is one of the best at getting under opponents skins be it by chirping, making them look foolish with his skill, or by some new way he’s just thought of. Unfortunately, because he plays on the edge, he occasionally crosses the line and gets himself into trouble, and in the case of his licking during the 2018 playoffs, a new rule made because of him. But, his play on the ice and who he is off of it makes up for it in the eyes of Bruins fans and the organization. Not only is he an elite player off the ice, but he’s truly a great guy off of it. He’s heavily involved in the community and he’s developing into a big leader in the locker room, as evidenced by him getting to wear the “A” when injuries hit Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara. He’s also great about engaging fans via social media by chirping either them or one of his teammates (mostly notably Torey Krug), and he’s one of the few players who isn’t afraid to show his true personality.
As for what we can expect out of Marchand next season, it’ll almost certainly be more of the same, which is a great thing. If he plays a full season or at least fairly close to it, I think he’ll put up at least 100 points again, which is likely as he’s been mostly healthy over his career. But, regardless of his point total next season, he’ll be the same elite two-way player and he’ll continue to excel not just on even-strength but on the power-play and penalty-kill. He’ll also continue growing into a great leader in the locker-room and role model for the younger players, as he’s one of the hardest-working players on and off the ice, and that sets an excellent example for them to follow. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to win and improve, and he’s also improved his self-control recently and doesn’t cross the line anywheres near as much as he used to, which is a huge bonus. He’s sure to be fun to watch again this season as a part of one of the best lines in the league, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens over the course of the regular season to see just how good he’s going to be again.
Hockey Addict 