For the 14th Time in His Career, Brad Marchand Has Scored 20 Goals for the Bruins

By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones

During the Boston Bruins’ 4-3 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday, Brad Marchand buried his 20th goal of the season. It marked the 14th time the Boston captain had reached the plateau.  Furthermore, he extended his franchise record’s 12 straight campaigns of potting at least 20 goals while dawning the Spoked-B.

Marchand reached the mark early on in the first period. Nikita Zadorov corralled the loose puck along the wall and, in one motion, whipped a pass right to Marchand, who was, inexplicably, left uncovered in the crease. The forward had enough time to settle the puck and bury the attempt into a wide-open cage. Ilya Samsonov could not recover quickly, and Marchand benefited from Vegas’ blown coverage.

Despite multiple off-season surgeries, a plethora of different linemates, and over 1,000 NHL games under his belt, Marchand continues to keep his game strong. It is fitting that this 20th-goal campaign was cemented where he has made his bones: in the dirty areas.

The Bruins selected the under-sized winger in the third round of the 2006 NHL draft. It was an impressive class, as Jonathan Toews, Claude Giroux, Jordan Staal, and Nicklas Backstrom were all drafted that year. But despite the talent seeping through the selections, Marchand leads his class with 421 career goals and currently sits fourth in points behind Giroux, Backstrom, and Phil Kessel.

As far as the history of the Bruins is concerned, Marchand is chasing an impressive record. He is now tied with Patrice Bergeron for the second most 20-goal seasons in franchise history. The only Bruin skater to compile more 20-goal campaigns for the Black and Gold is Johnny Bucyk. “Chief” amassed the feat 16 times during his illustrious 21 years in Boston.

Since becoming a full-time member of the Bruins lineup in the 2010-2011 season, Marchand has been a model of consistency. The only year he failed to score 20 goals was the strike-shortened 2013 campaign when he still managed to put up 18 tallies in 45 games.

What has always been impressive about Marchand is his ability to generate chances creatively. At five feet nine inches and 180 pounds, he has found a way to play above his weight class. Marchand has never shied away from getting his nose dirty and taking the necessary punishment to get to prime scoring areas.

Marchand’s crafty puck handling, effective wrist shot, and knack for finishing around the net have made him a nightmare for opposing goaltenders for 15 years. While his playmaking and pugnacious attitude often overshadow his goal-scoring prowess, his ability to consistently find the back of the net should not be forgotten.

Marchand, who turns 37 in May, is in the final season of an eight-year extension. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. While he may very well be back with the Black and Gold next season, that is not guaranteed to be the case. Regardless of how many more seasons Marchand stays as Bruins captain, his ability to routinely pot 20 goals, irrespective of who he plays with, will be challenging to replace. His stability is just as spectacular as his skill set.