Boston Bruins: Brad Marchand needs to tone it down a little

As the Boston Bruins head into tonight’s encounter with the Dallas Stars, they need to make sure Brad Marchand tones it down a little.

Every Boston Bruins fan loves Brad Marchand and his antics that invariably get under the skin of our opposition. However, he needs to ensure he doesn’t end up looking like the petulant rookie and having his antics cause momentum swings against us.

Marchand is an elite winger and will no doubt hit 100 points again this season; he doesn’t need to be a guy known for getting in the opposition’s face or for staring them down after netting short-handed. As much as we love him for it, such actions really seem juvenile at times.

Despite having only ever played at a beer-league level, even I can vouch for trying that little bit harder when you play against someone that acts cocky like Brad Marchand.

More from Editorials

• Pavel Zacha’s veteran status leading to bigger role in 2023-24
• The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
• Why the Bruins should wait to name a captain until after the season
• 3 players the Bruins can, 3 players could trade, 3 players they shouldn’t trade
• It’s time to offer Jake DeBrusk a contract extension

It really should’ve came as no surprise that Mikael Backlund ended the night with two goals and an assist after Brad Marchand got in his face during the Boston Bruins’ 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.

Of course, there is still a time and a place for his antics; it’s just a case of judging it so. A game-tying goal probably isn’t the one to gloat on; one that stretches a lead to two – maybe.

There is a place in the game for showing this sort of character and it’s exactly the reason why Marchand is so beloved among Boston Bruins’ fans and so hated around the rest of the league. Think of him as the annoying kid brother that knows exactly how to irritate you.

Tonight against the Dallas Stars, it’d be fair though to ask him to remain a little calmer and par back these sort of actions. They are a strong defensive unit that has more than a few rough-and-tumble guys that will no doubt seek to lay those harder hits to teach him a lesson if need be.

Much as he may lack a little skill on the puck, Roman Polak isn’t the sort of guy we want running down one of our superstar wingers.

If Brad Marchand is a sensible guy; he’ll put the Calgary Flames game in the past – let’s hope it was all residual anger from the last time those two teams met in an equally testy affair.

The Dallas Stars represent a new game and there’s no need for Marchand to be wasting his time with any nonsense apart from scoring goals and grabbing assists!