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Brad Marchand

Atlantic Notes: Caufield, Marchand, Greig

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Canadiens winger Cole Caufield is entering the final season of his entry-level contract and after a strong finish to his season that saw him put up 20 goals and 13 assists in his final 34 games, some have wondered if he might receive an early extension.  However, the 21-year-old told Postmedia’s Stu Cowan that there have yet to be any discussions on a new deal so far.  Caufield only has 97 career NHL appearances under his belt (including the playoffs) so it’s possible that Montreal GM Kent Hughes wants to see if Caufield’s strong second half is a sign of things to come or if his production will dip a bit.  A long-term deal for Caufield at this point could be in the $7MM range even with the limited experience but also could go up if he picks up where he left off last season.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Bruins winger Brad Marchand skated today for the first time since undergoing double hip surgery back in May, relays Matt Porter of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). However, his timeline for a return isn’t likely to be escalated at this point as his expected return date continues to be around late November.  The 34-year-old put up his sixth straight season of over a point per game in 2021-22 and Boston’s attack will certainly be weakened over the first six weeks with him unavailable.
  • The Senators are expected to hold prospect Ridly Greig out of all three rookie tournament games, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 20-year-old suffered a shoulder injury at the World Juniors and Ottawa is expected to be cautious with him with training camps fast approaching.  He had six points in five events for Canada at the tournament and could battle for a spot in the bottom six in the preseason although some time with AHL Belleville in a more prominent role might be the best move from a development perspective.

Brad Marchand Undergoes Hip Surgery

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There’s some significant injury news in Beantown after the team was eliminated in the First Round a couple of weeks ago. The Boston Bruins announced today that star forward Brad Marchand underwent successful hip arthroscopy and labral repair on both of his hips. The recovery process is slated to take six months, making it likely Marchand is out for nearly the first two months of the 2022-23 regular season.

Marchand’s projected unavailability next season only adds to what’s bound to be an offseason of chaos for the Bruins. With the future of captain Patrice Bergeron up in the air, the team can’t really have a plan yet of how to attack the offseason and free agency.

On the ice, losing Marchand for any amount of time is a staggering blow for this Bruins team. Not only does Marchand bring all the intangibles that he’s so well known for, but he also remains one of the most offensively skilled left-wingers in the league. He scored 80 points in 70 games last season for his sixth straight season above a point per game pace.

Off the ice, moving Marchand to long-term injured reserve for the start of the regular season could buy the Bruins some time. The team has under $3MM in cap space this offseason, and while they have few roster spots to replace, the aging team needs to modify their roster to stay competitive in a tough Atlantic Division. Most importantly, there’s the matter of re-signing or replacing Bergeron, and the latter option will likely be much more costly. If the Bruins can buy some more cap space for the start of the season, it would allow them a few months into the year to figure out some trade scenarios for players to free up space.

Regardless, at 34 years old, the Bruins just hope Marchand is able to rebound to his previous level of play after what was a decently intensive surgery.

Bruins Notes: Sweeney, Marchand, DeBrusk

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The Boston Bruins climbed back into their first-round series several times before ultimately falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games, and now face an offseason of uncertainty. Captain Patrice Bergeron is a pending unrestricted free agent, and though he has explained he wants to return, will turn 37 in July. David Pastrnak could also use a new contract, as he is only signed for one more year before potentially hitting the open market in 2023.

But before those situations are dealt with, it’s another key member of the organization that needs a new deal. General manager Don Sweeney does not yet have a contract for net season, and when asked today about the situation, he told reporters including Matt Porter of the Boston Globe that he expects the situation to be resolved “in short order.” Sweeney has been in charge of the team since 2015.

  • Like every team after a long grueling season, there are also injuries to deal with. Brad Marchand has a hip issue that may require offseason surgery, according to Porter, though the final decision has not been made on a treatment path. The 34-year-old forward had another outstanding season for the Bruins this year, scoring 32 goals and 80 points, before being their most effective player in the postseason as well. While some of the other players on the Boston roster may still get more press (at least for their positive accomplishments), it’s Marchand that has been one of the most consistent forces in the entire league the last six seasons.
  • It’s not just contract negotiations and injury timelines though, the Bruins are also still dealing with the Jake DeBrusk situation. The 25-year-old winger put in a trade request some time ago, and despite some late-season success after moving higher in the lineup, things don’t appear to have officially changed. DeBrusk told reporters earlier this week that he hadn’t really thought about it since the deadline, but Sweeney explained today that he doesn’t think anything has changed, “other than he’s happier.” Whether that means he’ll rescind the request and stick around is unclear at this point, but he already has a contract extension through 2023-24.

Bruins Notes: Bergeron, Marchand, Grzelcyk

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After the Boston Bruins fell in seven games to their first-round opponent Carolina Hurricanes, the conversation surrounding the team and its future has centered around its captain: Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron, who turns 37 on July 24th, is one of the franchise’s biggest stars and one of the most widely respected players in the modern history of the game. He’s also set to become an unrestricted free agent at the beginning of the new league year, as the eight-year contract extension he signed in 2013 is expiring. So, naturally, given his age and contract situation, there is a significant amount of attention fixated on Bergeron’s future with the only NHL club he has ever known.

There is at least some uncertainty here. As relayed by The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, Bergeron said today that he will need time to make a decision about his future and whether he will continue playing. But, with that in mind, when asked if he could imagine playing for another team if he chooses to continue his career, there was no hesitation from Bergeron. He gave a simple answer: “no.” While Bergeron may be now well into his late-thirties, his game is still at an elite level. He is expected to be among the top contenders for a Selke Trophy once again, and he was productive offensively, scoring 25 goals and 65 points in 73 games. So, he would likely have many suitors on the open market if he sought to explore other options. But based on his comments today, it seems that he is making it clear to the hockey world that he will remain a Boston Bruin for the rest of his playing days.

Now, for some other notes regarding the Bruins:

  • It seemed that Bergeron’s longtime partner in crime Brad Marchand was his normal self in the team’s playoff series versus the Hurricanes, agitating opposing players and fans while stuffing the net to the tune of eleven points in seven games. But in reality, despite that production, Marchand was not his normal self, at least regarding his health. Marchand revealed today, per Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now, that he had been playing through an injury to his shoulder since suffering the ailment due to a hit from Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway in the regular season. While he remained productive throughout the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, Marchand did say that there was the possibility that he may require surgery this summer. He noted that he would need to “get it checked” with doctors first, though.
  • Marchand is not the only Bruin who was playing through an injury in the first round. Today Matt Grzelcyk revealed (per Matt Porter of the Boston Globe) that he had been playing through a dislocated shoulder, and that he would need surgery this offseason. He also noted that his recovery from that surgery could cause him to miss the start of next season. Grzelcyk only got into five games against the Hurricanes and did not manage to score a point, play that could be reflective of the toll the injury was taking on his game. Grzelcyk did have a productive regular season, though, and ranked second among Bruins defensemen in points. He has grown into one of the more important defensemen the Bruins have, so getting him back to health will be crucial if Boston wants to hit the ground running at the start of next season.

Brad Marchand, Derek Forbort Earn Fines

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The Boston Bruins are down two games in their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and now a pair of their players are down a few more dollars. Derek Forbort and Brad Marchand have both been issued $5,000 fines for actions in last night’s game.

Forbort’s incident came early in the third period when he rather recklessly swung his stick toward Teuvo Teravainen, hitting him directly in the face. It was given a four-minute double-minor from the on-ice officials, half of the eight minutes that Forbort would receive on the night in just 16 minutes of ice time. A key penalty killer for the Bruins, he’ll have to keep his stick in check, as a fine will lead the Department of Player Safety to keep a closer eye on his actions moving forward, and result in increased punishments for any further transgressions.

Marchand meanwhile is already under the watchful eye of the DoPS every time he steps on the ice. His fine stems from a slash on Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov after the two exchanged words in the second period. Both Marchand and Kochetkov were given penalties for slashing on the play, though it is Marchand who also receives the fine–likely due in part to his long history with the league’s supplementary discipline process.

NHL Upholds Brad Marchand’s Suspension

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has decided to uphold the six-game suspension of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, releasing a 13-page ruling today. Marchand can now choose to appeal to a neutral arbitrator, though since he has already served four of the six games and will have finished the suspension by Monday, it would essentially only be to recoup some of the salary he has lost in this process.

In his ruling, Bettman states:

Finally, in reaching my conclusions I have given careful consideration to Mr. Marchand’s testimony concerning his efforts to control his emotions in order to excel as an impact player who plays aggressively, but within the rules. I believe that he has already made significant strides towards achieving this goal. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Marchand’s behavior and lack of judgment in respect of these incidents did not meet acceptable NHL standards. He created a distraction which reflected poorly on himself, on his team and on the League as a whole, and as such, I find he also deserves the penalty he received. Having said that, I encourage Mr. Marchand to reflect on this experience and to use it positively in furtherance of his efforts to refine and improve his on-ice image and game for everyone’s benefit.

In their defense of Marchand, the NHLPA tried to compare this incident to one in 2019 when Milan Lucic was given a two-game suspension for punching Kole Sherwood, one in 2019 when Joe Thornton was not given any supplementary discipline for punching Petr Mrazek, and one in 2019 when Radko Gudas received a two-game suspension for high-sticking Nikita Kucherov. All three were deconstructed by Bettman, with Marchand’s lengthy disciplinary history being one of the major factors to prove they were dissimilar.

Notably, it also explains that Marchand was being suspended for both the punch and the high-stick, leading to the six-game ban when combined with his history. The Bruins forward has now been suspended eight times and fined four times for physical fouls in his NHL career. Bettman explains just how serious this history is:

No active player has been suspended more times than Mr. Marchand; this is his eighth suspension. In addition, he has been fined four times for physical fouls. Although the on-ice penalty calls that resulted in supplementary discipline have varied in their specifics, all have involved serious violations, including elbowing, slew footing, clipping, roughing, spearing, cross-checking and (now) high sticking. It is, to say the least, an unenviable record. And (again), to make matters worse, Mr. Marchand’s most recent suspension prior to this one occurred less than three months ago, when he was suspended for three games for slew footing Vancouver Canucks player Oliver Ekman-Larsson on November 28, 2021.

An appeal to a neutral arbitrator would almost certainly take more than three days, meaning Marchand will be out for the next two matches regardless of what happens next. If he does go through with it and it is eventually reduced, it would provide the Bruins forward with two benefits. One, he would win back some of the money he has forfeited with this suspension, and two, the suspension would–while still on his record–appear as a shorter sentence.

NHLPA Files Appeal On Behalf Of Brad Marchand

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Feb 16: The appeal is taking place this afternoon in New York, where Marchand will plead his case to try and get a reduced sentence. He has already served three of his six games, with the Bruins going 1-2 in his absence.

Feb 11: The NHLPA has filed an appeal on behalf of Brad Marchand regarding his recent six-game suspension. The first appeal will be to commissioner Gary Bettman, after which Marchand can appeal to an independent arbitrator. Speaking to the media today, Marchand gave his thoughts on the suspension, and a three-game ban that he received earlier this season:

We believe that the last suspension was very hefty. When I got three games, it should have been one, based on the fact that I have turned my game around and become a pretty good player in this league. Like they said, you’re not going to escape the history part of it which ultimately set me up for this one. I’m not going to say or justify that what I did was right. But this was a very deep suspension for these actions. 

Marchand went on to suggest that the way suspensions and other supplementary discipline are handled in the NHL will be a big issue when it comes to negotiating the next CBA, and believes his actions, in this case, weren’t suspension-worthy on their own. It’s his history that obviously came into play here, given he has been suspended seven times in the past to go along with five fines.

He has already served one game of this six-game suspension, and it is currently scheduled to expire after the Bruins play the Colorado Avalanche on February 21. Even if he were to receive a reduced sentence from one of the levels of appeal, it may not necessarily get him back in the lineup any sooner, depending on how long it takes to go through the process. What it could do is save him some money, as Marchand is forfeiting nearly $450K with this current ban. Any reduction in the sentence could force the Bruins to pay him retroactively, even if it comes down after the games are missed.

If Boston can get him back any sooner though, it certainly would be an important change. The team is without Patrice Bergeron as he deals with a concussion and looked outclassed against the Carolina Hurricanes last night, losing 6-0 and being outshot 43-34. While Marchand may be a polarizing figure to many hockey fans, he’s arguably the most important forward on the Bruins roster and has 49 points through 39 games this year.

It’s not often that you find wingers that have received Hart and Selke trophy votes in five consecutive seasons but that’s exactly what Marchand has done, as he turned himself from agitating two-way player to one of the best all-around forwards in hockey. Any game without him in the lineup will leave Boston at a severe disadvantage, so getting him back is a top priority.

This is not the first suspension to be appealed this season. In December, Bettman decided to reduce Jason Spezza’s six-game suspension to four after the Toronto Maple Leafs forward filed an appeal. That case couldn’t be more different from this one though. Spezza’s actions were obviously a targeted attack on a player that he was angry with, but it was his long history of clean play that Bettman referenced when reducing the suspension. In this case, it was Marchand’s history that directly led to the league handing down such a “hefty” ban.

Brad Marchand Suspended Six Games

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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.

Brad Marchand, Marcus Foligno To Have Hearings With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has a busy day, as both Brad Marchand and Marcus Foligno now have hearings scheduled for incidents that occurred last night. Marchand in particular appears likely to get a long suspension, given he has been offered an in-person hearing. That gives the league the ability to suspend him for more than five games, though does not guarantee that outcome.

Marchand’s incident happened in the final seconds of last night’s Boston Bruins-Pittsburgh Penguins game and included a punch and a high stick on goaltender Tristan Jarry. It resulted in a match penalty which automatically comes with a review from the DoPS and now could bring a hefty suspension. Marchand obviously has a long history of supplementary discipline including a three-game suspension for slew-footing earlier this season.

Foligno meanwhile is getting a hearing for kneeing, but not the variety most will be used to. The incident occurred with Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry already on the ice after a fight, with Foligno on top of him still trying to continue the scrap. The Minnesota Wild forward received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in addition to the fighting major.

Often, in-person hearings–which are currently held over Zoom–take more than a day before a suspension is handed out. Marchand’s does not yet have a time or date set. At the very least, one can assume that he won’t be available in tomorrow’s match against the Carolina Hurricanes. (UPDATE: Marchand’s hearing is set for this evening.)

Snapshots: Three Stars, Bogosian, Stars

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The NHL has released the Three Stars from last week, with Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins taking home top spot. The veteran winger has been outstanding again this season, registering 43 points in just 30 games. With his six goals last week he has hit 20+ for the ninth consecutive season and leaves just the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season as the only year he’s missed that threshold in a 12-year NHL career (he had 18 in 45 games). Now 33, Marchand has been over a point-per-game in each of the last six seasons and currently sits eighth all-time in Bruins history with 758 points.

Second and third place went to Marc-Andre Fleury and Nikita Kucherov respectively, two more players who will likely be in the Hall of Fame one day. The Chicago Blackhawks netminder went 3-0 with a .957 save percentage and continues to create plenty of speculation as a deadline candidate around the league. Kucherov meanwhile tallied seven points in three games, taking his total to 13 in eight appearances this season. The 28-year-old now has 560 points in 523 career games.

  • The Lightning will be without Zach Bogosian for the next two to three weeks with a lower-body injury according to Joe Smith of The Athletic, continuing what has been a brutal season for the veteran defenseman. Bogosian has played in just 23 games so far, coming out very few matches with a new injury. Certainly not the model of health throughout his career, Bogosian hasn’t played more than 65 games in a single season since he was a teenager with the Atlanta Thrashers.
  • The Dallas Stars have placed Tanner Kero and a support staff member in the COVID protocol, further reducing the number of available bodies they have. Luckily, Denis Gurianov, Braden Holtby, and two other staff members were removed today and can rejoin the club. With players moving in and out on a daily basis, Riley Damiani, Rhett Gardner, and Thomas Harley have been brought back up to the taxi squad from the AHL.

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