Boston Bruins: The Season Of Brad Marchand
This was a rough season for the Boston Bruins. The team took significant hits to their squad due to injuries this season. When you factor in the below-average play of several players, it’s easy to see how the Black and Gold missed a chance to go on to the post-season.
The Bruins needed their healthier players to step up for the team in a big way. Some of the players attempted to do so, but played extremely inconsistent hockey. A two goal game was quickly followed by costly turnovers and rookie mistakes on the ice. There were a few players that did step up for the B’s and played their best in spite of their rough season.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
Brad Marchand was one of those players for Boston.
Marchand brought a more mature element to his game this season. While he was still able to get under people’s skin, he had cut back on some of the antics that gave him the reputation he now has. He played a more consistent game than many of his teammates did and it showed in the season’s final point count.
Overall, he had a good year for Boston. He played in seventy-seven games this season. He finished the season with forty-two points(tied for fourth overall with Dougie Hamilton) with a plus-five rating. He led the team with twenty-four goals, and handled the responsibility of being the new top line forward well. During the year, he tallied his 100th NHL assist, his 100th goal and his 200th overall point He also led the team in game winning goals with five.
When the Bruins organization asked Marchand how he thought the season went, the Bruins forward was direct and humble. “I thought the season was OK,” he said, “but at the same time, obviously, you didn’t do enough when you don’t make the playoffs and the team doesn’t succeed. I don’t think any of us played the way we can, and I don’t think anybody would say they had a good year.”
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-9
Puck Prose
“It was definitely tough when Krech[David Krejci] went down,” said Boston’s Little Ball of Hate. “Our best player wasn’t in the lineup(kind of an odd statement from a man that played nearly every game next to Patrice Bergeron, the best two-way player in the NHL); that definitely takes a lot out of you. It breaks up that first line, and especially when other guys went down. It was an up-and-down year with that.
“We’ve had more injuries this year than I think we might have ever had. It was tough for us, but we definitely still had a talented group. Definitely had enough to get in the playoffs, but obviously, we didn’t play to expectations.”
Marchand is one of the few that played to expectations this season. He should be able to meet or exceed those expectations in the 2015-16 season.