(Jim Davis/Boston Globe)
By Court Lalonde (follow @courtlalonde)
With the fine of $10,000 just handed down to Brad Marchand today, it makes Bruins fans reflect, does the good outweigh the bad? Marchand so far this year has been the Bruins leading scorer and along with Tuukka Rask has been a bright spot in a season of ups and downs.
Marchand was drafted by the Bruins 71st overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft and has been playing for the Bruins for seven seasons now. He has become a fan favorite in those years and has been a top scorer over the past couple seasons. Brad is flashy, great speed, great shot, and isn’t afraid to mess it up in the corners with anyone. He has had five 20 or more goal season and last year scored 37 goals, going over 30 for the first time in his career. Marchand has had a 40 plus points season six out seven years playing for the Bruins, scored 30 game-winning goals, and 21 short-handed goals. To say that he is a valuable player on the Bruins roster and a reason they win games some nights is an understatement.
In those seven years, he has been suspended four times and fined twice by the NHL for an offense, not including the fine today.
Dec 2011- fined for slew-footing Matt Niskanen
March 2011- two games for an elbow on R.J Umberger
Jan 2012 – five games for slew-footing Sami Salo
Nov 2015 – fined for retaliatory punch on Gabriel Landeskog
Dec 2015 – three games for clipping Mark Borowiecki
Jan 2016 – two games for slew-footing Derick Brassard
Do you see the pattern that he must like getting in toruble with NHL players saefty? You think he would get the message and smarten up, but he even gets suspended for the same offense, and now it’s becoming his call card.
When Marchand is not in the lineup the Bruins record is four wins and seven losses and last year would hate to think he was the reason they didn’t make the playoffs and that the season derailed. The Bruins didn’t make the playoffs last year by one point and lost three games last year during his two suspensions that totaled five games. The Bruins winning percentage with Marchand in the lineup is .636 and .417 without him in the lineup. It’s safe to say that the Bruins would have made the playoffs with him in the lineup because based on the numbers they would have got one more win in those five games.
(Michael Dwyer/Associated Press)
Marchand only being fined today will come as a sigh of relief for Bruins fans and his teammates but when is enough, enough? When will he smarten up and realize these selfish actions hurt his fans as much as his teammates. Does the good outweigh the bad? I think so, but do believe that Marchand needs to realize that his selfish actions have consequences and if he keeps this up the bad will outweigh the good.
I love Marchy. There is not a team that would not take him. If every Bruin displayed his intensity, the team would not be where they are right now. As a Canadian, I will always want him on my national team.
As a Canadian I would too and as a fan I like having him on my team. Would like him to think first sometimes though.
No argument there
Nice talking to you Bob and thank you for reading it.