Brad Marchand
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Brad Marchand ( ; born May 11, 1988) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
left winger A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
and alternate captain for the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). The Bruins selected Marchand in the third round, 71st overall, of the
2006 NHL Entry Draft The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 24, 2006. The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006. The draft was ...
. Marchand was raised in
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
, the oldest of four children born to two local hockey coaches. As a child, he was known for his short temper, seeing a
sport psychologist Sport psychology was defined by the European Federation of Sport in 1996, as the study of the psychological basis, processes, and effects of sport. Otherwise, sport is considered as any physical activity where the individuals engage for competi ...
and taking
anger management Anger management is a psycho-therapeutic program for anger prevention and control. It has been described as deploying anger successfully.Schwarts, Gil. July 2006. Anger Management', July 2006 The Office Politic. Men's Health magazine. Emmaus, PA: ...
classes to address his frustrations. He also became close friends with future NHL player
Andrew Bodnarchuk Andrew Scott Bodnarchuk (born July 11, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Bodnarchuk was born in Drumheller, Alberta, but grew up in Hamm ...
, playing with him on both a
minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
team and for
Madeline Symonds Middle School The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (formerly Halifax Regional School Board) is the public school district responsible for 136 elementary, junior high, and high schools located in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Halifax County, Nova Scot ...
. Between 2004 and 2008, Marchand played for three
junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
teams: he was drafted by the
Moncton Wildcats The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1995–96 season, known as the Moncton Alpines for one season, and as the Wildcats ...
, was traded to the
Val-d'Or Foreurs The Val-d'Or Foreurs are a junior ice hockey team based in Val-d'Or, in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. The team was founded for the 1993–94 season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, a member of the Canadian Hockey ...
in 2006, and was traded again to the
Halifax Mooseheads The Halifax Mooseheads are a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio Division of the QMJHL from the 1 ...
in 2007. At the same time, the Bruins were
scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
Marchand, and made a trade with the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
to ensure that he was drafted by Boston in 2006. After Halifax fell to the
Gatineau Olympiques The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Starting with the 2021–22 season, the Olympiques play home games at Centre Slush Puppie, ...
in the 2009 QMJHL championships, with Marchand a
healthy scratch This is a list of common terms used in the sport of ice hockey along with the definitions of these terms. 0-9 A B C ...
for their elimination game, the Bruins told Marchand to stay home and report that fall for training camp. He spent the 2008–09 AHL season with the
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...
before making his NHL debut in October 2009. Marchand was a member of the Bruins' starting roster in 2010, playing on the fourth line and helping the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Marchand and the Bruins struggled in the next several seasons, first when a
lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...
shortened the
2012–13 NHL season The 2012–13 NHL season was the 96th season of operation (95th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season began on January 19, 2013 and ended on April 28, 2013, with the playoffs to follow until June. The season s ...
, followed by two consecutive playoff misses. Meanwhile, Marchand was increasing both his number of goals per season and his reputation as a pest. During the
2017–18 NHL season The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular sea ...
, Marchand received a series of fines, suspensions, and media controversies for hits on his opponent. He decided after the season to focus on improving his character, and followed through by scoring 100 points during the
2018–19 NHL season The 2018–19 NHL season was the 102nd season of operation (101st season of play) of the National Hockey League. 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 3, 2018, and ended on April 6, 2019. The 2019 St ...
. Marchand's high-scoring season was undercut by a disappointing defeat at the
2019 Stanley Cup Finals The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2018–19 season and the culmination of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Confer ...
, and as he moved into the
2019–20 NHL season The 2019–20 NHL season was the 103rd season of operation (102nd season of play) of the National Hockey League. The regular season began on October 2, 2019, with playoffs originally planned for April and the Stanley Cup Finals planned for June. ...
, Marchand focused on setting up scoring chances for linemates
Patrice Bergeron Patrice Bergeron-Cleary (born July 24, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bergeron played junior hockey with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Ju ...
and
David Pastrňák David Pastrňák (; born 25 May 1996) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Nicknamed "Pasta", Pastrňák was selected by the Bruins in the first round, 25th overall, of the 2014 NHL ...
. However, Marchand's reputation of suspensions and rule-breaking behavior continued in the
2021–22 NHL season The 2021–22 NHL season was the 105th season of operation (104th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league expanded to 32 teams with the addition of the Seattle Kraken. The league had an October-to-April regular season sche ...
, as he was suspended a total of nine games in that season alone.


Early life

Marchand was born on May 11, 1988, in
Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia Hammonds Plains is a community within the urban area of Municipality of Halifax, in Nova Scotia, Canada. History Hammonds Plains was established as a settlement area for United Empire Loyalists in 1786 along a road running from Birch Cove on Be ...
, a suburb of the
Halifax Regional Municipality Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
. Marchand was the oldest of four children born to Kevin and Lynn Marchand, with all of his siblings born in a four-year span. His father was known as a
goon Goon may refer to: Slang * Humans: ** People noted for brutality, or otherwise as targets of contempt: *** A guard in a prisoner of war camp (British World War II usage) *** An enforcer (ice hockey) *** A hired thug, in a goon squad ** Alter ...
during his
junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
years, at one time engaging in 40
fights Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
within a 40-game span. After collecting 358
penalty minutes A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
in one season, Kevin Marchand's coach taught him how to balance the physical aspect of the game with skill and scoring, a lesson which he in turn taught his children as they began their hockey careers. Marchand began playing hockey at the age of two in
Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia Lower Sackville is a community within the urban area of Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada. History Before the European colonization in 1749, the Mi'kmaq lived in this area for thousands of years. In August 1749, Captain ...
, and developed an aggressive playing style from a young age. He remembers beginning to fight in games around the age of 13 as an outlet for his excessive energy. The following year, he hit an opponent with enough force to damage the
cage A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayin ...
on the player's helmet. Marchand struggled with his temper throughout his childhood, and took
anger management Anger management is a psycho-therapeutic program for anger prevention and control. It has been described as deploying anger successfully.Schwarts, Gil. July 2006. Anger Management', July 2006 The Office Politic. Men's Health magazine. Emmaus, PA: ...
classes as an adolescent. As his hockey career progressed, he would also begin seeing a
sport psychologist Sport psychology was defined by the European Federation of Sport in 1996, as the study of the psychological basis, processes, and effects of sport. Otherwise, sport is considered as any physical activity where the individuals engage for competi ...
to address his on-ice frustrations. Growing up, Marchand became close friends with future
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) player
Andrew Bodnarchuk Andrew Scott Bodnarchuk (born July 11, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Bodnarchuk was born in Drumheller, Alberta, but grew up in Hamm ...
, a fellow Hammonds Plains native and his
minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
teammate for the Dartmouth Subways of the Timberlea Amateur Sports Association. Marchand also played for his school team at
Madeline Symonds Middle School The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (formerly Halifax Regional School Board) is the public school district responsible for 136 elementary, junior high, and high schools located in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Halifax County, Nova Scot ...
alongside Bodnarchuk. Marchand gained a reputation both for taking penalties and for riling his opponents during his minor hockey career, and he formed intense rivalries both with his Cole Harbour rivals and with his larger, stronger teammates.


Playing career


Amateur

The
Moncton Wildcats The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1995–96 season, known as the Moncton Alpines for one season, and as the Wildcats ...
of the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The l ...
(QMJHL) selected Marchand 24th overall in the 2004 QMJHL Entry Draft. He scored 29
goals A goal is an objective that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve. Goal may also refer to: Sport * Goal (sports), a method of scoring in many sports, or the physical structure or area where scoring occurs ** Goals, the goal frame in ...
for Moncton in his draft year, and was awarded the team's Rookie of the Year. Shortly before the 2005-06 QMJHL season, Moncton hired
Ted Nolan Theodore John Nolan (born April 7, 1958) is a Canadian former professional hockey left winger, former head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and Latvia men's national ice hockey team. From July 2017 until May 2018 he was head coach of the Poland men' ...
as their new head coach, and he took to Marchand's "drive and determination" at once, giving the skater an extensive role on the team. Under this new direction, Marchand scored 29 goals and 66 points in 68 regular season games for Moncton, and led the team to a
President's Cup The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerably ...
championship and the
Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
finals with another five goals and 14 assists in 20 playoff games. The Wildcats ultimately lost in the finals to the
Quebec Remparts There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts (french: Remparts de Québec) that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The first edition played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has pla ...
. The
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
of the NHL spent the season
scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
Marchand, and traded two fourth-round picks in the
2006 NHL Entry Draft The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 24, 2006. The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006. The draft was ...
to the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
in exchange for a third-round pick, which they used to select Marchand 71st overall. Marchand signed an
entry-level contract A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
with the team in October 2007. On January 2, 2006, the Wildcats traded Marchand and two draft picks to the
Val-d'Or Foreurs The Val-d'Or Foreurs are a junior ice hockey team based in Val-d'Or, in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. The team was founded for the 1993–94 season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, a member of the Canadian Hockey ...
in exchange for
Luc Bourdon Joseph Luc Bourdon (February 16, 1987 – May 29, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League from 2006 until 2008. After overcoming childhood arthritis, he was s ...
, Jean-Sebastien Adam, and Ian Mathieu-Girard, with Marchand's part of the trade going into effect just before the 2006–07 QMJHL season. He scored 33 goals and 47 assists in 57 regular-season games with Val-d'Or, and in that season's playoffs, he led the league with 16 goals and 24 assists in 20 games. At the same time, he showed signs of being a grinder, putting up 36
penalty minutes A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
. Although the Lewiston Maineiacs swept the Foreurs in the Memorial Cup finals, Maineiacs skater
David Perron David Perron (born May 28, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Perron played his junior hockey for the Lewiston Maineiacs of the ...
and goaltender
Jonathan Bernier Jonathan Bernier (born August 7, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 11th overall, of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angel ...
saw a threat in Marchand, both for his offensive ability and the way in which he frustrated his opponents. He returned to the Foreurs the following season, putting up 21 goals and 23 assists in 33 games. On December 17, 2007, the first day of the QMJHL trading window, the Foreurs traded Marchand to the
Halifax Mooseheads The Halifax Mooseheads are a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The team was founded in 1994 and began play in the Dilio Division of the QMJHL from the 1 ...
in exchange for forward Maxime Sauve and five future draft picks, including two in the first round. Earlier that day, Halifax had acquired Sauve from the Quebec Remparts in exchange for centre David Gilbert. When the Foreurs had first approached Marchand about potential trades, he had been eager to join his hometown team, where his childhood friends Hillier and Bodnarchuk were already playing. He played in 26 regular-season games for Halifax, putting up 29 points in the process, before leading the team with 18 postseason points in 14 games. After the Mooseheads lost three straight semifinal games to the
Gatineau Olympiques The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Starting with the 2021–22 season, the Olympiques play home games at Centre Slush Puppie, ...
, however, Halifax head coach Cam Russell made Marchand a
healthy scratch This is a list of common terms used in the sport of ice hockey along with the definitions of these terms. 0-9 A B C ...
for Game 4, which Halifax ultimately lost as well.


Boston Bruins (2009–present)


2008–2010: AHL years

After the Mooseheads' loss in the QMJHL playoffs, the Bruins told Marchand that, rather than joining the team for the remainder of their season, he would be invited to summer training camp. Marchand was frustrated with the decision, which was rumoured to be due to his on-ice attitude, and he entered the Bruins' 2008 training camp looking to rebuild his reputation and establish himself as a strong player. He played the 2008–09 season with the
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...
, Boston's
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL) affiliate, where he finished second in scoring among all AHL rookies with 18 goals and 41 assists in 79 games. That scoring continued into the playoffs, where Marchand added another seven goals and eight assists in 16 games. The Providence Bruins advanced to the final four of the 2009
Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...
playoffs, where they were eliminated by the championship-winning
Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the c ...
. Marchand opened the 2009–10 season with Providence, but received his first NHL call-up after scoring six points in his first six games. He made his NHL debut on October 21, 2009, picking up an assist on
Michael Ryder Michael Glen Wayne Ryder (born March 31, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. Ryder played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, and New Jersey Devils. ...
's goal against the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
. After 11 scoreless games, Boston sent Marchand back down to Providence, where he scored only seven goals in a 28-game stretch. Later in the season, Marchand saw a hot streak of 16 points in 14 AHL games, leading to his second call-up. He skated in 20 NHL games that year, putting up only one assist and 20 penalty minutes.


2010–2013: Stanley Cup championship and lockout

Originally, Marchand was meant to serve as the Bruins' spare fourth-line forward for the 2010–11 season, with
Daniel Paille Daniel Joseph Paille (born April 15, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was originally drafted 20th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and also played in the National Hockey League with the ...
starting alongside Gregory Campbell and
Shawn Thornton Shawn Thornton (born July 23, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of the National Hockey League (NHL). An enforcer throughout his career, he won two Stanley Cups with the Anaheim Ducks (2007) and the Boston Bruins (2011). ...
. However, a strong training camp performance from Marchand pushed Paille from the starting lineup to the bench, with the latter filling in during brief periods of injury. After scoring his first NHL goal on November 3, 2010, against the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
, Marchand had a break-out season on the fourth line: by the
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
break, he had scored 13 goals and earned 25 points, and had a +21 plus-minus. Additionally, his four
short-handed Short-handed is a term used in ice hockey and several related sports, including water polo, and refers to having fewer skaters (players) on the ice during play, as a result of a penalty. The player removed from play serves the penalty in the pen ...
goals were the most in the NHL. By the end of the regular season, Marchand had 41 points, far fewer than fellow rookies
Jeff Skinner Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...
,
Logan Couture Logan Couture (born March 28, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Sharks ninth overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, where he established ...
, and
Michael Grabner Michael-René Grabner (born 5 October 1987) is an Austrian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Grabner grew up playing for the local team in Villach, EC VSV. He moved to North America at the age of 17 and j ...
, but he averaged significantly less time on the ice, and when he was asked to play, he was given few opportunities to score. Marchand also earned the first suspension of his NHL career during the season, receiving a two-game penalty on March 17 for elbowing
R. J. Umberger Richard Alan "R. J." Umberger, Jr. (born May 3, 1982) is a former American professional ice hockey center. Drafted in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Umberger has played in the National Hockey ...
of the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
. That year, Marchand was the recipient of the Bruin's Seventh Player Award, given by fans of the
New England Sports Network New England Sports Network, popularly known as NESN , is an American regional sports cable and satellite television network owned by a joint venture of Fenway Sports Group (which owns a controlling 80% interest, and is the owner of Boston Red So ...
to the player who surpassed expectations. He continued his strong offensive performance into the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring 19 points in 25 postseason games, including two goals and one assist in Game 7 of the
finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
, helping to clinch the championship for Boston. The game before, Marchand was criticized by sportswriters for repeatedly punching
Daniel Sedin Daniel Hans Sedin (born 26 September 1980) is a Swedish professional ice hockey executive and former professional ice hockey winger who played his entire 17-season National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Vancouver Canucks from 2000 to 2018 ...
, an altercation for which he received no penalty. After the fact, reporters asked why Marchand continued to hit Sedin unprovoked, to which he responded, "Because I felt like it." Marchand's 11 playoff goals during the Bruins' 2011 championship run tied
Jeremy Roenick Jeremy Shaffer Roenick ( ; born January 17, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 8th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Chica ...
for the second-most of any NHL rookie. On September 14, 2011, the Bruins announced that they had re-signed Marchand to a two-year contract, without disclosing the financial terms of the deal. Shortly after, Marchand scored the Bruins' first goal of the 2011-12 NHL season, a backhand pass against the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
. Later that season, Marchand scored his first NHL
hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
, scoring three goals and a career-high five points in the Bruins' defeat of the
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
on December 23, 2011. As the season progressed, Marchand also continued to develop his reputation as a pest. That October, Marchand tried to fight with
P. K. Subban Pernell-Karl Sylvester Subban ( ; born May 13, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 2009 and 2022, he played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, a ...
of the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
twice within the same game, only to be broken up by officials both times. On December 12, the NHL fined Marchand $2,500 for slew footing
Matt Niskanen Matthew Norman Niskanen (born December 6, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia ...
of the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
the week prior, a penalty which resulted in an on-ice fight between Marchand and Niskanen. On January 9, 2012, Marchand was suspended for five games and fined over $150,000 for an illegal hit to the head on
Sami Salo Sami Sakari Salo (born 2 September 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey Defenceman (ice hockey), defenceman of the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his professional career with TPS (ice hockey), TPS of the SM-liiga before bein ...
of the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
, resulting in a
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
. Marchand and Julien defended the hit, arguing that it was performed in self-defense against Salo, who stood taller than Marchand. After scoring 28 goals and 55 points during the regular season while playing on a line with
Patrice Bergeron Patrice Bergeron-Cleary (born July 24, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bergeron played junior hockey with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Ju ...
and
Tyler Seguin Tyler may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tyler (name), an English name; with lists of people with the surname or given name * Tyler, the Creator (born 1991), American rap artist and producer * John Tyler, 10th president of the United ...
, Marchand was promoted to the Bruins' "Merlot" line with Campbell and Thornton for the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. After battling their way to a Game 7 overtime, the Bruins fell to the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. At the end of the year, Marchand took home both the Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy, awarded for outstanding performance during home games, and the John P. Bucyk Award for charitable contributions off the ice. On September 7, 2012, the Bruins extended Marchand's contract by four more years, with his salary carrying an average annual value of $4.5 million. When the
2012–13 NHL season The 2012–13 NHL season was the 96th season of operation (95th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season began on January 19, 2013 and ended on April 28, 2013, with the playoffs to follow until June. The season s ...
was indefinitely delayed due to a
lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...
, many of Marchand's teammates struck deals to play in European hockey leagues, an option that Marchand met with trepidation. He ultimately chose to wait out the lock-out, and did not play professional hockey until the season began in January 2013. Paired with Bergeron and Seguin, both of whom spent the lock-out in the
Swiss National League Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss International ...
, Marchand worried that he would be out of practice compared to his teammates. He ultimately scored 18 goals and 18 assists in 45 games of the lock-out-shortened season, which in a regular 82-game year anticipated that he would have scored over 30 goals and recorded over 65 points. As the Bruins entered the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, Marchand scored his first postseason overtime goal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Rangers. The
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
overpowered the Bruins in the
2013 Stanley Cup Finals The 2013 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) season, and the conclusion of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference playoff champion Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Eastern Confer ...
, defeating a depleted roster in six games.


2013–2016: Scoring and team difficulties

Going into the 2013–14 season, Marchand struggled to adjust to his new linemate
Loui Eriksson Loui William Eriksson (born 17 July 1985) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Eriksson was selected by the Dallas Stars in the second round, 33rd overall, at th ...
, colliding with the other winger during a preseason game against the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
. Marchand's struggles continued into the regular season, with just three goals after the first 20 games of the year. Bruins coach Claude Julien demoted Marchand from the second to the third and fourth lines on several occasions, giving players like Jordan Caron an opportunity to fill his position in the top-six. His decision to taunt the Canucks by kissing his Stanley Cup championship ring in a game that the Bruins lost 6–2 frustrated Julien, who wanted to improve Marchand's scoring while tempering his emotions. By the end of the regular season, Marchand had improved to 25 goals and set a career high of 28 assists, but he voiced disappointment in his own performance, citing a struggle with the mental aspects of hockey. His scoring struggles continued into the
2014 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 16, 2014, and ended June 13, 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers four games to one in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Boston Bruins made the ...
, when Marchand scored only five assists in twelve games and missed an
empty net goal An empty net goal, abbreviated as EN or ENG and colloquially called an empty netter, occurs in several team sports when a team scores a goal into a net with no goaltender ''(goalie)'' present. Ice hockey Empty net goals usually occur on two occas ...
from only away. Despite dissatisfaction with his own performance, the Bruins awarded Marchand the 2014
Eddie Shore Award The Eddie Shore Award is presented annually to the AHL's best defenceman. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Shore. Winners NHL-level Eddie Shore Award One of the Bos ...
, given to the player who demonstrates "exceptional hustle and determination" throughout the season. Marchand entered the
2014–15 NHL season The 2014–15 NHL season was the 98th season of operation (97th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Los Angeles Kings became the first team to miss the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup the previous season since the C ...
having worked on his offseason conditioning and the mental aspects of the game in the hopes that it would break his slump from the previous season. Although the Bruins' season was considered a disappointment, as the team finished the year with only 96 points and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007, Marchand was a bright spot, leading Boston with 24 total goals and five game-winning goals. He spent the year on the top line with Bergeron and
David Krejčí David Krejčí (, born 28 April 1986) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was part of the Bruins' Stanley Cup win in 2011 and led the NHL in points during t ...
, combining with his two linemates for 50 total goals. After the season, Marchand admitted in an interview that the Bruins had been "a little bit divided", and that there were "different cliques" on the team, which in turn impacted their on-ice performance. He also revealed that he had been battling an elbow injury ever since the 2014 playoffs, and he underwent surgery during the 2015 offseason to repair torn tendons in the area. After the season, 98.5 The Sports Hub named Marchand the Bruins' Third Star of the year, with Bergeron and Rask receiving the first and second stars, respectively. The Bruins' offence continued to struggle into the
2015–16 NHL season The 2015–16 NHL season was the 99th season of operation (98th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Thirty teams competed in 82-game regular season schedules from October 7, 2015 to April 10, 2016. The 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs ...
, when Marchand was indefinitely placed on the injured list. He had been stunned by a collision with
Dale Weise Dale Kenton Weise (born August 5, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey Leag ...
of the Canadiens on October 10 and did not return to the game; the Bruins later revealed that Marchand had suffered a concussion from the collision. He ultimately missed two games, returning on October 17 for a match against the
Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
. Marchand was on the other side of a suspension in November, when he suffered an illegal check to the head from
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
skater
Gabriel Landeskog Gabriel Landeskog (; born 23 November 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected second overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by Colorado. On 4 ...
. Landeskog received a two-game suspension, while Marchand was fined $5,000 for throwing a punch after the incident. The next month, Marchand received a suspension of his own for clipping Mark Borowiecki of the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
. Because Marchand was considered a repeat offender, he was penalized with three games and over $150,000. During a home game on February 6, 2016, Marchand was allowed an overtime
penalty shot A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
against the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
when defenceman
Rasmus Ristolainen Rasmus Ristolainen (born 27 October 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Playing ...
dropped his stick to grab Marchand and prevent a shot. Marchand successfully made the shot for the first overtime penalty-shot goal in franchise history. While the Bruins missed the playoffs once again with a regular season tiebreaker loss to the Ottawa Senators, Marchand set a career-high 37 goals during the 2015–16 season. He also received his second Seventh Player Award, as voted by fans of the New England Sports Network.


2016–2018: Suspensions and pest reputation

On September 26, 2016, the Bruins signed Marchand to an eight-year, $49 million contract extension that would carry through the 2024–25 NHL season. The contract carried an annual average value of $6.125 million. Marchand opened the 2016–17 season with a scoring rush, putting up two goals and five points in the first game of the season, followed by four points in the next three games. After leading the Bruins in scoring for the first half of the season, putting up 13 goals and 22 assists in 43 games, Marchand received his first selection to the
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
in January 2017. He nearly missed the game after meeting with the Department of Player Safety for a "dangerous trip" of
Niklas Kronwall Hans Niklas Kronwall (; born 12 January 1981) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman, who currently serves as an advisor to the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. He previously played for the Red Wings of the National Hock ...
of the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, but ultimately received a $10,000 fine and no suspension. On March 14, Marchand scored the second hat trick of his NHL career, with three goals in the third period of a 6–3 win over Vancouver. After putting up 85 points in the regular season, Marchand missed the final two games of the year with a suspension for spearing Jake Dotchin of the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
. The Bruins' 4–0 victory in that game helped them clinch a berth in the
2017 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 12, 2017, after the 2016–17 regular season and concluded on June 11, 2017, with the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Nashville Predators four games to two in the ...
. The Bruins fell to the Ottawa Senators in the first round, with Marchand scoring only one goal in the six-game series. At the end of the year, Marchand received his first
NHL first All-Star team The National Hockey League All-Star teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position. Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the all-st ...
selection, while the Bruins awarded him both the Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy and the team's Third Star. After having a break-out season in 2016–17, Marchand intended to double down on his consistent offensive production for the
2017–18 NHL season The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular sea ...
. His athletic abilities that season, however, were largely overshadowed by his on-ice behaviour. In January 2018, Marchand received a five-game suspension from the NHL for an elbow to the head of Devils skater Marcus Johansson, who suffered a concussion from the play. It was the ninth time that Marchand had received either a fine or suspension from the Department of Player Safety. Despite the 2018 All-Star Game taking place in the midst of Marchand's suspension, he was allowed to take part in the game and skills competition at
Amalie Arena Amalie Arena (officially stylized as AMALIE Arena) is a multipurpose arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, arena football, concerts, and other events. It is mainly used as the home for the Tampa Bay Lightning ...
, where he was subject to booing from fans in attendance. On March 9, 2018, after receiving a previous warning about embellishing his reaction to a hit in an attempt to draw penalties, Marchand was fined $2,000 for embellishing a tripping penalty by Olli Maatta of the Penguins. The following day, Marchand collided with Blackhawks skater
Anthony Duclair Anthony Duclair (born August 26, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Duclair was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round, 80th overall, ...
, causing the latter a season-ending leg injury. Duclair told reporters that Marchand had reached out to him after the injury, but that it was still a "pretty dirty" play. On April 2, Marchand received his second fine in the span of a month, with a $5,000 penalty for cross-checking Andrew MacDonald of the Philadelphia Flyers. That same season, Marchand scored the third hat trick of his career with an overtime shot against the Red Wings. The last goal was also his 11th regular-season overtime goal, passing Glen Murray's record for the most among the Bruins since overtime was reinstated during the 1983-84 NHL season. Marchand took home the Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy for the second year in a row, and was moved from the Bruins' Third Star to Second at the end-of-year awards ceremony. Marchand's on-ice behaviour came to a head during the
2018 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on April 11, 2018, after the 2017–18 regular season and concluded on June 7, 2018, with the Washington Capitals winning their fir ...
, when the NHL placed him on notice for kissing and licking his opponents, behaviour that the league deemed "unacceptable" while warning that "similar behavior in the future will be dealt with by way of supplemental discipline". Marchand's habit was first noticed during a November 2017 game against the Maple Leafs, when he leaned in to kiss Leo Komarov on the cheek rather than fighting him. During Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between Toronto and Boston, Marchand licked Komarov on the face, joking to reporters, "I just wanted to get close to him." He and the NHL both denied that licking Komarov had led to any warning or disciplinary action from the league. Instead, the warning came during the second round of playoffs, when he licked
Ryan Callahan Ryan G. Callahan (born March 21, 1985) is an Americans, American former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He ...
of the Tampa Bay Lightning on the face. After receiving the warning, Marchand told reporters that he was going to "really take a pretty hard look in the mirror" and improve "some character things". After the Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs, the team revealed that several skaters had been playing through injuries, with Marchand having suffered a groin injury that affected him for the final six to seven games. Despite his injury and controversies, Marchand scored 85 points in 68 regular-season games and added another 17 points in 12 playoff appearances.


2018–present: 100-point season and All-Star team selections

In the opening game of the Bruins' 2018–19 season, Marchand became frustrated with Capitals forward
Lars Eller Lars Fosgaard Eller (born 8 May 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the Tiger", he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, 13th overall in th ...
's post-goal celebration, fighting the skater hard enough to bloody him. Marchand was ejected from the game with fighting and instigator penalties, as well as a 10-minute game misconduct. In his next game, Marchand tied his career high four assists in a game as part of a 4–0 shutout against the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
. He continued to generate offensive power throughout the season, and on March 31, 2019, Marchand scored the 26th shorthanded goal of his career, breaking
Rick Middleton Richard David "Nifty" Middleton (born December 4, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Playing career As a youth, Middleton played in the 1966 Quebec ...
's franchise record. In the following game against the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
on April 3, Marchand scored his 100th point of the season, becoming the tenth player in franchise history to reach the mark and the first Bruin since
Joe Thornton Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...
during the 2002–03 season. For his performance, Marchand received an NHL second All-Star team selection, as well as his third consecutive Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy and the Bruins' First Star. On May 1, as Boston and Columbus faced each other again during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, Marchand came under fire for a punch to the back of Scott Harrington's head, which ultimately did not result in a suspension. Marchand could not carry his regular-season scoring power into the
2019 Stanley Cup Finals The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2018–19 season and the culmination of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Confer ...
, scoring only two goals and carrying a −2 rating. The Bruins took the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
to seven games, falling 4–1 in the final, while Marchand took responsibility for part of his team's loss. At the end of the first period of Game 7, with less than 15 seconds remaining before intermission, Marchand skated to the bench to signal for a line change, allowing
Jaden Schwartz Jaden Schwartz (born June 25, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Schwartz was selected 14th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2010 NHL Entry D ...
and
Alex Pietrangelo Alexander Pietrangelo (born January 18, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the St. Louis Blues for parts of twe ...
of the Blues to skate by him, with the latter scoring a goal against Tuukka Rask. Marchand and the Bruins opened the
2019–20 NHL season The 2019–20 NHL season was the 103rd season of operation (102nd season of play) of the National Hockey League. The regular season began on October 2, 2019, with playoffs originally planned for April and the Stanley Cup Finals planned for June. ...
with a desire to move past the previous season's Stanley Cup finals and to continue the discipline that Marchand had been practicing in recent years. On October 27, the BergeronMarchand
David Pastrňák David Pastrňák (; born 25 May 1996) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Nicknamed "Pasta", Pastrňák was selected by the Bruins in the first round, 25th overall, of the 2014 NHL ...
line combined for a total of 13 points against the New York Rangers. While Bergeron scored his fifth career hat trick, Marchand and Pastrňák put up five points apiece, becoming the first pair of Bruins teammates to do so since
Joe Thornton Joseph Eric Thornton (born July 2, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers of the ...
and Glen Murray in 2001. The following month, Marchand became the 11th Bruins skater to reach 600 career points, with a first-period goal against
Carey Price Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the world by many colleagues, fans, ''The ...
of the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
. Marchand and his linemates kept up their scoring pace throughout the season, and when the NHL suspended operations in March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Marchand was sixth in the NHL with 87 points. While playing on the top line that season, Marchand became a
playmaker In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's play, and is often involved in offensively and defensively playing passing moves which lead to goals, through their vision, technique, ball control, creativit ...
, setting up goals for Bergeron and Pastrňák. Although he had only 28 goals in the regular season, Marchand compiled 59 assists, the fifth-highest in the NHL for the year and the highest on the Bruins. 26 of Pastrňák's 48 regular-season goals had assists from Marchand, including 18 primary assists. During the pause, Marchand was concerned that the NHL would attempt to resume operations too quickly, leading to "really, really ugly" games as unprepared skaters began playing without sufficient practice time. When the NHL resumed operations for the
2020 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on August 1, 2020, and concluded on September 28, 2020, with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning their second Stanley Cup in franchise ...
in July, Marchand was one of 31 Bruins invited to play in the Toronto quarantine "bubble". Despite Marchand scoring six goals in as many games during the playoffs, the Bruins fell to the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in the Eastern Conference semifinals. At the end of the season, Marchand was named the Bruins' Third Star, while his three-year streak of winning the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy came to an end when the award went to Pastrňák. The NHL also named Marchand to their 2019–20 second All-Star team. On September 14, 2020, Marchand underwent a
sports hernia Athletic pubalgia, also called sports hernia, core injury, hockey hernia, hockey groin, Gilmore's groin, or groin disruption is a medical condition of the pubic joint affecting athletes. It is a syndrome characterized by chronic groin pain in a ...
surgery that carried an expected four-month recovery time, leaving it in question whether he would be available for the start of the
2020–21 NHL season The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
. Marchand, who revealed that the injury had been causing him pain for two and a half years, ended up on track to return to the Bruins at full strength for their January 14 home opener against the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
, in which he scored the team's first goal of the season. Shortly prior to the season, Marchand was also named alternate captain of the Bruins, serving alongside
David Krejčí David Krejčí (, born 28 April 1986) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was part of the Bruins' Stanley Cup win in 2011 and led the NHL in points during t ...
as
Patrice Bergeron Patrice Bergeron-Cleary (born July 24, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bergeron played junior hockey with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Ju ...
filled the captain vacancy left by Zdeno Chara. On March 27, Marchand was placed on the NHL COVID protocol list, allowing young player
Trent Frederic Trent Frederic (born February 11, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins selected him in the first round, 29th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Born and ...
a chance to occupy his position on the top line. He returned after two missed games, revealing that a
false positive A false positive is an error in binary classification in which a test result incorrectly indicates the presence of a condition (such as a disease when the disease is not present), while a false negative is the opposite error, where the test result ...
test had placed him on the list. On May 3, 2021, Marchand played in his 800th NHL game as the Bruins shut out the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
and clinched a berth in the
2021 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on May 15, 2021, and concluded on July 7, 2021, with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning their second consecutive and third overall St ...
. He was the 13th player in Bruins history to play in 800 or more games for the team. By the end of the regular season, Marchand led the team with 27 goals, 36 assists, and 63 points, as well as four shorthanded goals and five game-winning goals. He was the Bruins' First Star at their awards banquet, and also took home both his fourth Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy and second Eddie Shore Award. Marchand continued to score game-winning goals in the playoffs, first an overtime goal in Game 2 of the first round against the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
, followed by another overtime shot in Game 3 of the second round, against the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
. His Game 2 overtime goal was only 39 seconds into the period, breaking
Bobby Orr Robert Gordon Orr (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the pos ...
's 1970 record for the fastest overtime game-winning goal in Bruins postseason history. Orr scored 40 seconds into Game 4 of the
1970 Stanley Cup Finals The 1970 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1969–70 season, and the culmination of the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was a contest between the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues, who appea ...
against the Blues, clinching the Bruins' fourth championship. Marchand scored two goals in the Bruins' Game 6 loss to the Islanders, tying with
Peter McNab Peter Maxwell McNab (May 8, 1952 – November 6, 2022) was a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey player. He played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1973 to 1987, with the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canu ...
for the most goals in Bruins elimination games with nine. Although he finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting, with
Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
a unanimous first selection, Marchand was named to the 2021 All-NHL First Team at the end of June. During the first
home game In sports, home is the place and venue identified with a team sport. Most professional teams are named for, and marketed to, particular metropolitan areas; amateur teams may be drawn from a particular region, or from institutions such as sch ...
of the Bruins' season, Marchand scored a goal on a penalty shot that he was awarded after
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...
defenseman
Ryan Suter Ryan Suter (born January 21, 1985) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild. Suter's father, Bob Suter, was ...
was called for holding on an attempted Marchand breakaway. Marchand became the third player in NHL history to score the first goal of a team's season on a penalty shot, following
Mats Sundin Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...
in 2006 and Chris Kelly in 2013. On November 29, Marchand received the seventh suspension of his NHL career when he was penalized for three games after slew-footing
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Oliver Oscar Emanuel Ekman-Larsson (; born 17 July 1991) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known by his initials "OEL", Ekman-Larsson was original ...
of the Canucks. Marchand was not penalized during the game, and Ekman-Larsson was not injured. On December 14, Marchand and Craig Smith were placed into COVID-19 protocols. Four days later and amidst a larger team outbreak, the Boston Bruins' season was suspended through the annual Christmas break. Marchand was suspended for the second time that season and eighth time in his career on February 9, when he received a six-game ban for roughing and high-sticking goaltender
Tristan Jarry Tristan Jarry (born April 29, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Jarry was selected by the Penguins in the second round (44th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Dr ...
of the Penguins. In the final minute of the game, which the Bruins lost 4–2, Jarry made a comment to Marchand, who responded by punching the goaltender in the head and hitting him with his stick, earning Marchand a match penalty, which are handed out when the officials deem an "intent to injure". In a press conference on February 11, 2022, Marchand said that he believed his actions were "stupid" but were not "suspension-worthy", and said he was considering appealing the suspension. On May 27, 2022 Marchand underwent hip arthroscopy and labral repair on both hips and was expected to miss six months where he had a return table around late November of the 2022-23 season. However Marchand returned 1 month early of his initial plan and made his season debut on October 27, 2022, where he scored 2 goals and had an assist in a win vs the Detroit Red Wings.


International play

Marchand first competed internationally for the
2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge The 2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge was an ice hockey tournament held in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada between December 29, 2004 and January 4, 2005. The venues used for the tournament were the ENMAX Centre and the Nicholas Sheran Arena. Canada West ...
, winning a bronze medal with Team Canada Atlantic. As a prospect, Marchand went on to represent
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
twice at the
IIHF World Junior Championship The IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC), or simply the "World Juniors" in ice hockey circles, is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world. It is t ...
: the 2007 WJC in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and again at the 2008 WJC in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. Both times, Canada took home a gold medal. After his performance in the 2007 World Juniors, Marchand was named one of four alternate captains for Canada in the 2008 tournament. As an adult, Marchand was one of three members of the Bruins to attend the
2016 IIHF World Championship The 2016 IIHF World Championship was the 80th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), being held from 6 to 22 May 2016 in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Canada entered the tournament as the defending 2015 cha ...
in Russia: he represented Canada, while Pastrňák represented the Czech Republic and Providence Bruins skater
Frank Vatrano Frank Vatrano (born March 14, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. Playing career ...
played for Team USA. Canada took first place in the tournament after defeating the previously-undefeated Finnish team in a gold medal match that saw Marchand fight
Leo Komarov Leonid Aleksandrovich Komarov (russian: Леонид Александрович Комаров, fi, Leonid "Leo" Aleksandrovitš Komarov; born 23 January 1987) is a professional ice hockey centre for Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL ...
of the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. On May 27, 2016, Marchand was named to Team Canada's roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, joined by his teammate Patrice Bergeron. During the tournament, he played on a line with Bergeron and
Sidney Crosby Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed " The Next One", he was selected first o ...
of the Penguins, combining for 25 points in six games. Marchand led the tournament with five goals and three assists. His short-handed goal against Team Europe in the World Cup finals clinched a gold medal for Canada, something that Marchand and his teammates hoped would establish the skater as a strong player rather than a pest.


Playing style and criticism

Throughout his NHL career, Marchand has been characterized as a " pest", a hockey player who attempts to frustrate his opponents through physical or verbal attacks and annoyance. Marchand developed many of his agitation tactics from a young age: he knew that he was smaller than many of his opponents at only and , and subsequently developed a system of hits and trash talking that would give him an advantage over some of the larger players. Marchand has modelled his behaviour after that of
Theo Fleury Theoren Wallace "Theo" Fleury (born June 29, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, author, and motivational speaker. Fleury played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks of the ...
, a former pest who was able to leverage the frustration that he caused his opponents into offensive production. Marchand's teammate
David Backes David Anthony Backes (born May 1, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played for fifteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks. Backes was bor ...
called the skater "the motor on he Bruins in a 2019 interview, while coach
Bruce Cassidy Bruce James Cassidy (born May 20, 1965) is a Canadian hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is the current head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously served as the head coac ...
has noted that, although it may appear undisciplined, many of Marchand's tactics are calculated to get under the target's skin. Marchand's agitation tactics have drawn criticism from fans and opponents. A 2020 poll of 392 players across the NHL declared Marchand the "dirtiest player in the league", receiving 29 per cent of the vote. In the same player poll, Marchand was voted both the best and worst trash-talker in the NHL, with 25.87 per cent of players voting him as the league's best and 10.59 per cent voting him as the worst. When the Bruins visited the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
in 2011 after their Stanley Cup victory,
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
referred to Marchand as a "Little Ball of Hate", a nickname that he has since embraced. His other nicknames include "Rat", inherited from previous Bruins pest
Ken Linseman Kenneth S. "The Rat" Linseman (born August 11, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He a ...
, and "Leg Sweeper", for his frequent tactic of slew footing his opponents. In recent years, Marchand has tried to move past his reputation as an agitator and focus more on scoring. His first break-out year came during the 2015–16 season, when he scored 37 goals and became a star for the Bruins. That same year, he helped win the gold medal for Canada at the World Cup of Hockey, cementing his reputation as a strong skater and goal scorer in addition to an agitator. Increased scrutiny from the NHL has also led Marchand to back away from some of his agitation: at the start of the 2017–18 season, Marchand told reporters that he and his teammates were limiting their "chirps" and other trash-talking comments to increase the family-friendly atmosphere of the NHL. After a series of suspensions followed by a highly publicized controversy over Marchand's decision to lick his opponents, the skater made a conscious effort to stay out of trouble during the 2018–19 NHL season, citing a desire "to make sure the longevity is there, that I'm not getting pushed out of the League because of stupidity". In the three seasons following, Marchand has become one of the top-scoring left wings in the NHL, with his 163 assists and 256 points the most of any skater in the position.


Personal life

Marchand and former Bruins teammate
Kevan Miller Kevan Michael Miller (born November 15, 1987) is an American former professional ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the spo ...
, both avid
crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fi ...
hunters, own an outdoor sports company called March & Mill Co. In November 2020, they purchased a sports outfitter lodge on
Red Indian Lake Beothuk Lake, formerly Red Indian Lake, is located in the interior of central Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The lake drains into the Exploits River which flows through the interior of Newfoundland and exits into ...
in
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, with the intention of offering hunting and fishing expeditions in the province. Marchand married his wife Katrina in September 2015. He has two daughters named Sawyer and Rue and a stepson named Sloane.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league


International


Awards, honours and records


Records

* Most overtime goals in Bruins history (16) * Most shorthanded goals in Bruins history (31) * Most goals in playoff elimination games in Bruins history. * Fastest postseason overtime goal in Bruins history (39 seconds) * First overtime penalty-shot goal in Bruins history (February 6, 2016)


See also

*
List of NHL players with 100-point seasons As of the completion of the , 117 ice hockey players in the National Hockey League (NHL) have scored at least 100 points in a single NHL regular season. Collectively, these players have achieved this feat on 292 occasions, playing for 26 franchise ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marchand, Brad 1988 births Boston Bruins draft picks Boston Bruins players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Canadian ice hockey right wingers Canadian people of Acadian descent Halifax Mooseheads players Ice hockey people from Nova Scotia Living people National Hockey League All-Stars Moncton Wildcats players Providence Bruins players Sportspeople from Halifax, Nova Scotia Stanley Cup champions Val-d'Or Foreurs players