Brad Marchand is making an early impact with the Boston Bruins. Following a 100-point season, it seems like the Bruins winger has not lost a bit of his groove. So far, it has paid influential dividends for Boston.
He is a pest. He can only fight and chirp. Not anymore. Brad Marchand has turned himself to an elite NHL player. Not only a scorer, a complete player. Following his 100-point season, and a fifth place finish for the Hart Trophy, Marchand continues as one of the Boston Bruins’ key players.
The new season has brought the same Marchand. Following a slow start against the Dallas Stars in the season opener, Marchand was a massive force for the Bruins in their next three road games.
Versus the Arizona Coyotes, the 32-year-old left-winger scored the contest’s lone goal to win it for his squad. The next game, in Vegas facing the Golden Knights, Marchand served David Pastrnak for the Bruins’s first tally to cut the opposition’s lead to one. Then, it was Marchand tying it up and untying it for Boston. He finished with a three-point night in an impressive win.
As the Bruins opened the scoring in Colorado in the road trip finale, Marchand dished the puck to Pastrnak, again, and Boston scored. Brad Marchand, apart from his more reluctant first game, shows vast capacity and confidence on the ice, as usual.
Three goals and two assists for five points in the first four games. Can Brad Marchand repeat his 100-point season?
We are used to Marchand getting hotter as the season progresses, mainly in January and February. This time around, the Bruins winger catches the fire right from the beginning.
His energy resulted in the perfection line being on the top of the game again, as they somehow contributed to six of the nine Bruins goals in the season so far. At even strength, Marchand played 60:49 of the ice-time. Only Pastrnak, his linemate, played more as a forward.
His 57.72 of CF% at even strength, with 52.86 of xGF%, also looks pretty solid. Marchand continues to be an elite player, and that helps his line driving offense.
In terms of this, nothing new to report: new season, same old prominence.