NHLPA Files Appeal On Behalf Of Brad Marchand
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
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
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
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.
Barzal, Toews, Marchand Placed In COVID Protocol
Just when the New York Islanders thought they were out of the woods, another huge COVID-related blow is struck. Head coach Barry Trotz announced that Mathew Barzal will not play tonight for the Islanders after being placed in the COVID protocol.
Not to be outdone is the Colorado Avalanche, who have faced their own COVID issues this season. Devon Toews, who was recently named third star of the week after an outstanding set of performances is also in the protocol. The Avalanche have recalled top prospect Justin Barron from the Colorado Eagles to replace Toews on the roster.
The Boston Bruins have their own issues as Brad Marchand has been placed in the protocol as well. Unfortunately, Marchand was present at morning skate today, as his test results must have come back afterward. The Bruins notably played the Flames on Saturday, just before Calgary’s season was halted due to a serious outbreak.
With no offense meant to Ryan Lomberg or Craig Smith, who were put in the protocol this morning, the absences of Marchand, Barzal, and Toews are much more important to their respective teams. The Islanders have been desperately trying to climb out of an early-season hole dug by injury, illness, and scheduling. Without Barzal they’ll take on the reeling Detroit Red Wings, a team that has lost three in a row but is still ten points ahead of them in the standings (having played five more games). The star center was on a six-game point streak and now has 17 in 23 games this season.
Toews meanwhile has been playing at an elite level this season, racking up 20 points in 16 games so far while logging nearly 25 minutes a night for the Avalanche. Colorado has won four straight thanks to his help and find themselves skyrocketing up the Central Division standings. In fact, the Avalanche are now tied with the Calgary Flames for the best goal differential in the Western Conference at +25 and are within a single point of second place in the Central.
You might think after Toews, Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, and Bowen Byram that the Avalanche don’t have any more mobile, high-ceiling defenders in the system, but you’d be wrong. Barron, the 25th overall pick in 2020, has nine points in 14 games for the Eagles this season and will now get a chance to show what he can do in the NHL. The 20-year-old represents another wave of exciting talent for the Avalanche, though his debut wasn’t expected this soon.
Marchand is off to another outstanding start this season with 11 goals and 27 points, as he seemingly continues to improve despite entering his mid-thirties. The 33-year-old forward is arguably the most important forward on the Bruins roster, given he leads the team in scoring, plays the most minutes and continues to get under the skin of opponents. The Bruins are set to play the Golden Knights this evening, but will now be missing two important wingers.
For Barzal, Marchand, and Toews, if they have tested positive for coronavirus and are experiencing any symptoms, they’ll be held out a minimum of ten days.
No Supplemental Discipline For P.K. Subban, Marcus Foligno
Despite considerable media attention paid to both situations, New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban and Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno will not receive any discipline from recent altercations. The NHL Department of Player Safety has reviewed each scenario and determined that neither rises to the level of a suspension or fine.
In the case of Foligno, this appears to be a perfectly appropriate decision. The incident in question occurred on Saturday night as the Wild took on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Just as Foligno had jumped off for a change, a scrum ensued right in front of the Minnesota bench. Foligno got back on the ice to engage with the Leafs’ Wayne Simmonds. Typically, leaving the bench in this scenario would be a an automatic ten-game suspension, one of the NHL’s most harsh penalties. However, as The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, the league did not consider this to be a case of Foligno leaving the bench, as no one had yet replaced him on the ice. Kirill Kaprizov was supposed to sub in for Foligno, but given the budding altercation in front of him smartly stayed put, which allowed Foligno, who was still straddling the boards, to legally get back on the ice. The Wild just narrowly avoided losing one of their veteran leaders for an extended period of time.
As for Subban, the lack of retribution from the league continues to be a strange phenomenon. Subban appeared to slew foot the Winnipeg Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers on Friday night, though it was not called on the ice. The general understanding in this scenario is that the incident does not meet the league’s textbook definition of “slew foot”. Call what you will, but this shockingly marks his fourth dangerous trip this season. Yet, the veteran defenseman had not received any punishment and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that this will continue with this latest incident. It remains a mystery how Subban continues to get off scot-free with obvious slew foots, especially when the Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand recently received a three-game suspension for a slew foot that received no attention from the officials nor the visiting Vancouver Canucks. Seravalli states that extra attention is being paid by the league to both Subban and slew foots, yet it made no difference yet again.
Brad Marchand Suspended Three Games
The Department of Player Safety has issued a three-game suspension to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson last night.
As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that there are many occasions during the course of a game where players use either their legs or their stick and upper body to restrain or impede opponents, or to gain leverage during a puck battle. When these players rise to the level of being illegal, the vast majority of them can be adequately punished with in-game penalties.
What causes this play to rise to the level of supplementary discipline, is Marchand’s use of both his upper and lower body to take Ekman-Larsson to the ice in a dangerous fashion and the speed at which the players are traveling towards the boards.
While the video includes reasoning on why it rises to the level of supplementary discipline, it’s Marchand’s lengthy history with the DoPS that makes it a three-game ban. The Bruins forward has been suspended six times in the past, including once for a slew foot in 2015.
Ekman-Larsson did not suffer a serious injury on the play. Marchand was also not penalized, but he will have to sit down for the Bruins next three games and forfeit more than $90K in salary.
Brad Marchand To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Department of Player Safety still has Brendan Lemieux to deal with tomorrow, but will focus on Brad Marchand today. The Boston Bruins forward will have a hearing today for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver-Ekman Larsson.
The incident occurred partway through the first period of last night’s game and Marchand did not receive a penalty on the play. Ekman-Larsson also did not suffer a serious injury, going on to play more than 24 minutes in the game.
This is not the first slew foot to draw the attention of the DoPS this season, in fact, it appears as though this season is going to be ruled by the offense given how often it has been in the headlines so far. P.K. Subban has been involved in several incidents (which were notably referred to as trips, not slew foots), while Ryan Hartman earned a $4,250 fine recently. Kevin Labanc is the only one to have earned a suspension for a slew foot this season, drawing a one-game ban for his incident earlier this month.
In Labanc’s video explanation, the league used the following language to explain the suspension:
What causes this play to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the speed the players are traveling, and their proximity to the boards.
Ekman-Larsson also collided with the boards after the Marchand incident, though the pair weren’t traveling at an exceptional speed. It will be interesting to see if the league decides on a fine or suspension in this case.
NHL Announces All-Star Teams, All-Rookie Team
On the heels of the NHL Awards, the league has revealed the rosters of it’s all-league teams. As voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, the selections are as follows:
First All-Star Team (link)
G Andrei Vasilevskiy
D Adam Fox
D Cale Makar
LW Brad Marchand
C Connor McDavid
RW Mitch Marner
Hart, Ted Lindsay, and Art Ross winner McDavid anchors the First Team All-Stars for the fourth time in his career, flanked by Hart candidate Marchand and with Vezina finalist Vasilevskiy in net. However, the story of the top All-Star squad is young defensemen Fox, the Norris winner, and Makar, a Norris finalist, manning the first team blue line in just their second NHL seasons. Marner is another first-time selection with a career year in his fifth season.
Second All-Star Team (link)
G Marc-Andre Fleury
D Victor Hedman
D Dougie Hamilton
LW Jonathan Huberdeau
C Auston Matthews
RW Mikko Rantanen
Vezina winner Fleury highlights an impressive second-team squad that also included Norris finalist Hedman and Hart finalist Matthews. This is Hedman’s fifth appearance on the Second Team All-Star roster, but all the others are first-time selections. Under-rated starts Huberdeau and Rantanen receiving much-deserved recogntion from the PHWA.
All-Rookie Team (link)
G Alex Nedeljkovic
D K’Andre Miller
D Ty Smith
LW Jason Robertson
C Joshua Norris
RW Kirill Kaprizov
With Calder winner Kaprizov leading the way, the All-Rookie teams boasts a mix of seasoned young players in their first full NHL seasons, such as Kaprizov himself and Nedeljkovic, sophomores Robertson and Norris, and true “rookies” in first-year pros Miller and Smith on the back end.
For those thinking that their favorite star was snubbed from all-league recognition this season, the voting results were actually very definitive. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was a distant third at center, as was the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin at left wing and Vegas’ Mark Stone at right wing. Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer was way back of the top two in net as well. On defense, Hamilton was actually well behind Fox, Makar, and Hedman, but far enough ahead of Vegas’ Shea Theodore and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy.
Boston’s Taylor Hall: “I Want To Play Here, Not Just For One Or Two More Years”
The Taylor Hall trade has worked out splendidly so far for the Boston Bruins. The East Division finalists gave up the below market price of a (late) second-round pick and ill-fitting young forward Anders Bjork to land the 2018 Hart Trophy winner, at 50% retention, and Curtis Lazar, with an additional year on his contract, from the division rival Buffalo Sabres. Lazar as a throw-in has been excellent in his own right as the anchor of the fourth line, but Hall has come back to life in Boston and has made a major impact on the club. Since he was acquired on April 12, the Bruins have lost just three games in regulation out of the 21 in which Hall has played, including the playoffs, and have just one loss by more than one goal. In 16 regular season games, Hall quadrupled his goal total and nearly matched his total points from 37 games with Buffalo, tallying 8 goals and 14 points. He then added two goals and an assist in the Bruins’ five-game upset of the Washington Capitals in round one. Entering their second round series against the New York Islanders, the Bruins have been in every single game since Hall arrived and are 3-0 against the Isles in that span.
Unsurprisingly, both sides are very happy about the current arrangement and have interest in an extension. The Bruins actually courted Hall this past off-season, but could not find a way to afford the winger. Even with his return to form in Boston, Hall will likely have a much lower market value as compared to the $8MM price tag paid by the Sabres for a one-year deal. Hall admitted as much to ESPN, stating “I don’t even know what my worth is right now, honestly.” That alone is an exciting sound byte for the Bruins, who would like to bring Hall back at a more manageable cost, especially with his center, David Krejci, also in need of a new deal. However, that wasn’t even the most notable part of Hall’s interview:
I do want to play here, not just for one or two more years, hopefully longer than that… I was eager to join a playoff team, I was eager to join somewhere that had good culture, and where winning was sustainable. Because I was looking for somewhere I could re-sign, not just the 20 games to end the season… I’ve been surprised at how much better it’s been than I even thought it was…It showed me how fun hockey can be… So hopefully it all works out.
After a career spent almost exclusively on poor clubs, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Hall is clearly enamored with the idea of remaining in Boston long-term, playing on a deep, talented roster and competing for a Stanley Cup for years to come. He seems intent on spending a substantial portion of his remaining playing career with his current club, and may even be willing to take a discount to do so. With top-six forwards Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Craig Smith all signed for years to come at below-market value, the likes of Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Patrice Bergeron all considered likely to re-sign when their current deals expire, and young pieces like Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Jeremy Swayman in place, Boston isn’t going anywhere – especially if Hall signs long-term and maintains this production. Bruins President Cam Neely sees this potential as well, as he too expressed to ESPN that the team hopes to get a new deal done with Hall.
For now, the focus remains on the postseason; negotiations can wait. “I’m not worried about my contract right now, it’s something we’ll figure out in the summer,” Hall said. “I have much bigger things to worry about as a player, as a teammate.” If the Bruins continue to play as they have since the star forward was acquired, it’s fair to wonder how long this run could last and who could stand in the way on their path to a Stanley Cup. The Capitals were no match, the Islanders are up next.