Brad Marchand Reflects On Licking Opponents: ‘I’ve Gotta Cut That [Expletive] Out’
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Bruins winger Brad Marchand has licked his last face.
Speaking at Bruins locker clean-out day at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday, and on the heels of a postseason headlined by Marchand licking Leo Komarov in the first round and then Ryan Callahan in the second round, the 29-year-old Marchand was honest about his on-ice antics and what they do to his team.
Admitting that he has to take a long look in the mirror and work through the ‘character issues’ that have had long-lasting repercussions to his game and his team, and mentioning the embarrassment it comes with, Marchand said it point blank: “I gotta cut that [expletive] out.”
This is essentially what the NHL’s Colin Campbell told Marchand last weekend when he warned Marchand and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney that No. 63 would face supplemental discipline the next he licked an opponent.
Given that this latest response comes three days after Marchand said that the crackdown on him licking opponents was ‘pretty stupid,’ it sounds like somebody in the organization got in Marchand’s ear about his worth to the team. That worth was on full display this postseason, too, with the B’s 5-2 record in games in which Marchand recorded a point (and a perfect 4-0 record when he scored a goal) opposed to an 0-5 record when held pointless.
In total, Marchand recorded four goals and 17 points in 12 postseason contests this spring, his highest total since bursting onto the scene with an impressive 19 points in the Bruins’ 25-game run to the 2011 Stanley Cup.
The 5-foot-9 Marchand recorded 34 goals and a career-high 51 assists in 68 games in the regular season.
Ty Anderson is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Ty? Follow him on Twitter @_TyAnderson.
