Losing his cool in the final minute of a Tuesday night loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins will cost Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand six games and nearly half a million dollars. The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that lengthy suspended for the star winger as a result of “roughing and high-sticking” Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry. Marchand will forfeit $448K of salary as he sits out for two weeks.
The incident in question occurred late in a heated game in which Marchand and Jarry had already had multiple conversations. With time expiring on a frustrated contest in which the Bruins outshot and outchanced the Penguins but could not capitalize, one final comment by Jarry set off Marchand. He punched the netminder in the head, knocking him to the ice. Marchand then fends off a linesman and jabs Jarry in the mask. Marchand received a match penalty and additional minor, but the seven minutes of penalty time was meaningless in the waning seconds of the game. Player Safety had a relatively easy decision to add supplemental discipline and summed up the situation simply:
On this play, Marchand is guilty of two violations that warrant supplemental discipline: roughing and high-sticking. It is important to note that these acts, both the punch to Jarry and the high-stick, were delivered well after the conclusion of play… This was also not a confrontation after the puck is frozen in which a goaltender initiates a physical altercation with an offensive player and is prepared – or should be prepared – for some kind of physical response. We find the totality of this play… unacceptable and warranting supplemental discipline.
Player Safety also specifically cited the CBA’s bylaw on repeat offenders, stating that “players who repeatedly violate league playing rules will be more severely punished for each new violation.” Marchand has a long history with Player Safety (seven suspensions and five fines), but had seemingly cleaned up his game entering this season. However, this is now his second suspension following a three-game ban for slew-footing in November. At the time, that punishment was scrutinized given that others have gotten away with far more without repercussions this season. There is no excuse this time around though; Marchand’s actions were blatant and given his history a suspension was guaranteed.
Marchand continues to be one of more polarizing players in the NHL. The ultimate heel, Marchand is a player that many fans love and many others love to hate. One of the most talented scorers in the league and with a propensity to get under opponents’ skin, Marchand is a player than no team likes to face. They even have to fear him off the ice, as Marchand has recently taken brutally honest shots at both the Carolina Hurricanes and Arizona Coyotes. However, Marchand’s image does not benefit from incidents like this, in which he clearly just lost his head and committed silly penalties that will now cost his team dearly. The Bruins may be comfortably in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but as they look to climb out of a wild card spot over the remainder of the season, it doesn’t help that they will be without a top contributor as they take on fellow contenders in the Hurricanes, Rangers, and Avalanche during Marchand’s six-game ban.
Boneheaded move Marchand… you’ve been doing so well staying outta trouble too
WOWZERS. and half a mil. too.
Not great for the Bruins, puts paid to Marchand getting 100 pts this season. Could’ve been worse.
Watched that game as a Pens fan and I wonder how Bruins fans feel about this instigating jerk? Usually it’s…”he’s on our team, so I love him”. This BS is going to hurt his team more than himself.
How soon you forget about a bigger “instigating jerk” Matt Cook. I’d take Marchand all day, every day and love him.
No one forgets about Cooke and how he hurt the Pens in the playoffs by his stupidity. He got the lengthy suspensions that he deserved.
Spoken like a true ass, um face licker
Six games for that? What an absolute joke the game has turned into, back in the day that barely got you a 2 minute minor.
“Back in the day” racist and homophobic slurs were commonplace as well. Should the game not grow and develope?
Back in the day… hahaha. Back in the day pussies like Rat Face didn’t play game. Waving his stick in the goalies face while he’s being held back by a linesman, tough guy.
Six games? It should have 6 days in jail after the season ends. No suspension just an assault conviction for the stick attack.
Yes, because nothing is as racist and homophobic as one white heterosexual lightly contacting against a white heterosexual opponent.
You probably still have your mom tuck you in at night. The world is a scary place, isn’t it. He poked him with a stick, he didn’t detach his limb. Bonehead move? Yes. Suspendable, sure? Jail????? You’re an idiot.
Stop it. Don’t be stupid
Exactly!
Maybe you should recognize that we aren’t back in the day.
And maybe you should recognize the game has gone soft. We no longer have heated rivalries and a physical game is no longer allowed to be physical.
The game has ebbed and flowed over periods between speed game v slow physical game. In 1990s through lockout in 2003 it was Wild West tackle hockey with clutch grab and headshots.
Never has it been acceptable to punch a goalie in the head. Difference is back then enforcer killed you. Now no enforcer cause cause can’t play speed game so you get suspensions.
True, which is why and how the rats have taken over.
“Back in the day”, a player who acted like Marchand would have had to drop his mitts almost every game, sometimes more than once a game, if he did things like this. Do you know how exhausting that would be for a player like himself? That’s what would eliminate that behavior from his game, something clearly that fines and suspensions have not deterred.
Cause and effect.
True dat, Ice Guardians is a solid documentary describing this very behavior and how the rats will take over. If you haven’t seen it yet I can’t recommend it enough.
With the number of times this guy has been suspended and the fact the he tries to slide his blade under the mask and neck guard, it’s once again a farce that he only gets six games. This so called Department of Player Safety is a complete sham.
As my grandfather used to say “what a bonehead” Really wish he would stop being an idiot. Top 10 player in the league and didn’t even sniff a chance at the all star game. Don’t think that wasn’t by design. Unfortunately it’s prob too late for him to change who he is
For the high stick against Jarry after Jarry thought it was all over it should just been a ONE DAY suspension. But, it should have been served in jail.
Dude is on an HoF pace. This probably makes no impact on that. If he plays even just another good season or maybe two he’s a lock.
Glad to see Marchand get the 6-game suspension, guy just can’t stop himself from being a complete dope. You would think a 33 year-old man would learn from past mistakes but “the licking rat” just keeps on clipping, slew-footing, and trying to injure guys.
OK, guys, you know what this means, don’t you? We ALL have to send Big George a heartfelt apology, for even doubting his integrity. Until after the Foligno case is settled, that is…
Kings fan here. 5 games for biting but 6 games for punching and slashing a guy who has a helmet on???? League is getting weak. His history did him in.
Way to many people saying it’s too much and these punches to the head and throat spears are less egregious than previous punches or biting or slew-footing etc etc.
Repeat offender carries larger consequences and deservingly so. Get your homer brain out of your head and realize this disgrace has had chance after chance.
Honestly the few fans that see him for what he is is refreshing. Too bad he can’t put it away because he is a legit talent but also a legit loser.
It. Was. After. The. Whistle.
“Back in my day, you’d pull a 5 inch piece of rebar you had hidden in your garters, sharpen it to a point and jam it in a fella’s eyes LONG after the whistle!!!”
“Tough guys” defending sucker punches…
Just a slight exaggeration, and the same people bashing this now will soon be hyping “playoff hockey” and how everybody gets into a scrum LONG after a whistle and are ramming the opponents face with no intent to actually drop the mitts. Woohoo, hockey tough!
Your ignorance is forgivable, your stupidity, not so much
A scrum after the whistle is ______ a sucker punch?
A) the same thing as
B) a different thing than
C) It. Would. Be. After. The. Whistle.
C) Entertaining
No consistency with DoPS. Should have been 2-3 games max.
With him out 2+ weeks would he be allowed to hop on a plane to China and play for team Canada
Not enough… Marchand is an embarrassment to the game and a poor role model for kids that want to get to the NHL.
It’s a shame someone doesn’t put an end to the rat’s BS by thoroughly kicking his rear in an on-ice fight. Despite what the ramifications might be and especially before Marchand inflicts a long-term injury on another player’s career.
There’s no place in any sport for a dirty player intentionally and potentially ending another player’s career.
Of course, nothing will change until a star player’s career is ended due to the amount of disrespect and worship of violence in this country.
He certainly needs his tail kicked,but I can’t stop chuckling at the irony of your post screaming for violence and then condemning it at the same time.