Boston Bruins: Brad Marchand selected to First All-Star Team

There’s an argument to be made that Boston Bruins‘ Brad Marchand is the best left winger in the NHlL. The Professional Hockey Writers Association certainly thinks so.

Marchand was selected to the 2020-21 NHL First All-Star Team. It is the second time in his career he’s been honored as a member of the First Team, his first time back in 2016-17. He also has two Second Team selections, coming in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The winger for the Bruins joined Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Cale Makar Colorado Avalanche, and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning on the First Team.

Marchand received 87 out of a possible 100 first-place votes, finishing with a total of 468 voting points. It wasn’t a particularly close race, as Marchand beat out both Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers (223 points) and Artemi Panarin of the Rangers (110 points).

Marchand led the Bruins in points with 69, goals with 29, and assists with 40. Despite the sports hernia surgery Marchand had in  September, he has the highest point per game total in his career this season, clicking at a 1.30 PPG rate. He finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting and ninth in Selke voting. McDavid won the Hart, while Aleksander Barkov of the Panthers edged Marchand’s teammate Patrice Bergeron for the Selke.

Even at 33 years old, Marchand continues to dominant at his position and has shown no signs of slowing down, which is good considering the Bruins are looking to possibly make one more run at a championship next season. Having Marchand playing at a high level next season would go a long way in making that possible.