By now, Brad Marchand’s reputation has made anyone who watches the NHL familiar with his name. Whether that name comes with praise or pure disgust, he has made his presence known.
He came into the league during the 2009-10 season where he didn’t do much besides notch a single assist. It was the next season that his career took off. He played in 77 games for the Boston Bruins and recorded 21 goals and 20 assists. That year, he also lifted the Stanley Cup with 11 goals and eight assists in the playoffs.
Boston Bruins Brad Marchand’s Reputation
The Cheap Shots and Odd Moves
It is undeniable to say that Marchand is a skilled player. But that skill is often overlooked by some of his antics. He’s been known to throw some cheap shots to other players and isn’t a stranger to discipline from the league. He’s also been known to make some dirty plays that put others at risk of injury.
Marchand has been doing it so often that a montage was made, showing the times since 2017 that he’s put other players on the ice in ways the league does not allow.
One of his most recent works was from the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs in which he licked Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan after the teams got rough with one another.
The video circulated and hockey fans didn’t take long to decide how they felt about it. For most Bruins’ fans, they had Marchand’s back. But for those who are not fans of him or the Bruins, this wasn’t something that belonged in hockey.
Changing This Year
Marchand has lately been stepping away from that, it seems. This year, he has provided the entertainment without sacrificing another player’s physical health. With less than a month to go in the regular season, Marchand has surpassed his points total for one year. He moves and shoots the puck well with his linemates and with a successful team, he has the platform to put on a show.
Social Media
A little less than two weeks ago, Marchand began a public Instagram page. It’s common for players to have one, as it allows the fans to show a better look at their lives. Captain Zdeno Chara made an account last year and has consistently posted pictures with captions about his life. The move was extremely effective, allowing people to know more about him beyond his gameplay.
Marchand first posted about his family — his wife and two kids. In doing so, we saw what’s important to him and what he plays for. He later posted a video where he approached his infant daughter during warmups, which became pretty popular that night.
His second post is entirely different. He carried over his longtime battle with Torey Krug regarding who is shorter. Marchand uploaded an altered image of a small Krug standing behind a gigantic Marchand during the national anthem. The picture and caption take a humorous approach and they show his personality to the world.
Love Him or Hate Him
Bruins’ fans will likely love Brad Marchand unconditionally as long as he is with the team. But for a lot of fans of the other 30 NHL teams, he is a pest that will never be forgiven for the dirty plays he instigated. There are, however, a few who look beyond team lines and do appreciate his personality and gameplay.
For the most part, it seems he will always be controversial given his past. And even with a Stanley Cup ring and the impressive stats to back him up, he may not ever get any credit as a top player because of the cheap shots.
It is almost certain that Marchand loves that spotlight. He may not admit it, but notching the game-winning overtime goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets and doing the Conor McGregor strut in celebration tells us that he’s here to play hard and have a good time doing it.
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