Brad Marchand ended 2017 in elite company, pushes for more in new year

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Brad Marchand finished the 2017 calendar year with 44 goals and 42 assists for 86 points in 70 games. That’s 1.23 points per game.

“Not bad,” he said with his typical Marchand grin when discussing his year with BostonSportsJournal.com.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov led the NHL in both goals (52) and points (106) in 81 games in 2017, while Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid finished the year with 30 goals and 72 assists for 102 points in 83 games. That’s 1.31 points per game for Kucherov and 1.23 for McDavid.



From a statistical standpoint, Marchand has developed into an elite player in the league. His goal-scoring ability and point production soared the last few seasons, and he has become a perennial 30-goal scorer. Overall, he posted 37 goals and 24 assists for 61 points in 77 games in 2015-16, and registered 39 goals and 46 assists for 85 points in 80 games in 2016-17.

Now that the calendar has turned to 2018, the Bruins began the new year with a 5-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at Barclays Center. Marchand provided an even-strength goal and an assist.



A big reason for his point production is due to his status on special teams. Earlier in his career, he was never a permanent fixture on the power play. His time has increased on the man-advantage the past three seasons. In ’15-16, he had six goals and two assists on the power play. Those numbers improved last season with nine goals and 15 assists on the PP. This season, he already has five goals and five assists.

“A big part of it is the opportunity you’re given,” he said. “I’m playing a lot of minutes per game – 20-plus – and in big situations, power play, penalty killing, last minute and stuff like that and it all helps. When you’re playing four or five minutes per game on the power play it makes a big difference, compared to not getting any.”

It also helps that he’s been a longtime linemate of Patrice Bergeron’s. Prior to becoming a mainstay in the top six and on the PP, Marchand began his Bruins career on the fourth line with Shawn Thornton and Gregory Campbell in 2010-11. Marchand eventually worked his way up the lineup that season and landed on the line with Bergeron and Mark Recchi.

If there’s one player in the last decade who has taken full advantage of the opportunity, it’s Marchand.

“You see a lot of guys thrive when they’re given that opportunity,” Marchand said. “That’s been the biggest difference.”

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has had a longstanding working relationship with Marchand and that has helped too. During the 2008-09 AHL season, Marchand was a first-year pro and Cassidy served as the P-Bruins’ assistant coach. When asked what his first impression was of the young forward, it took Cassidy a few seconds to think about it.

“Boy, that’s going back,” he said with a smile. “I don’t know if it was the first impression, but one of the first ones was hardest-working guy on the ice every day, during practice and after practice. We had some good leaders, older guys, back then. Trent Whitfield was very good at that, so (Marchand) had some good role models, but he always was the hardest-working guy at practice.

“It’s no surprise he was able to work his way up to Boston, up the lineup to basically All-Star status.”

It’s evident Marchand has become an elite point producer in the NHL, but there were questions during his minor league days whether or not he would be capable of reaching his current status in the NHL.

“Yes and no,” admitted Cassidy. “He could always shoot the puck. He was erratic back then with his shot. He’s much more accurate now. He’ll be off-net sometimes, like all good goal scorers, but he’s much better at hitting his spots. Always had a real good release (on his) wrist shot, always tenacious on the puck and he’s developed his overall offensive game – softer hands. He’s more confident scoring goals and obviously Bergy has brought out a lot of good in him too.”

When Marchand was honing his skills in Providence, he knew, if given the opportunity, he could produce offensively because it was something he was able to accomplish his entire career.

“I personally thought I could, yeah,” he said. “I had always produced at every level I played at in junior and in the American League, but I was always given the opportunity. A big part that comes with that opportunity is the confidence that you gain from that when you’re given the opportunity to continually stay out there and make plays and be allowed to make mistakes.”

When younger players, in general, make mistakes on a consistent basis, it’s not long before they’re watching more from the bench, serving as a healthy scratch or being sent to the AHL. Early on, Marchand was on a short leash. He was learning what he could and could not do in certain situations.

“When you’re put out there for an opportunity here or there, you get nervous to make plays and you don’t really play to your full potential because you don’t want to lose out on (future) opportunities,” he said. “You have to make the safe play a lot of times, so that’s something that comes with experience and maturity.”

Along with the increased point production, there’s been another aspect of Marchand’s game that has improved to a point that’s allowing him to aggravate the rest of the league without even having to chirp his opponents. He’s stronger on the puck and makes it extremely difficult for the opposition to steal or retrieve pucks when he has it, or is around it.

“A big part of it is confidence, just knowing that I can hold onto it a little bit more,” Marchand said. “I’ve learned how to get away from guys in different situations, learning how to pull out of the corners and stuff like that. I have a lot of confidence to do it. During the summer, I try to get stronger just like everybody else.”

The last couple of offseasons, Marchand has focused on puck handling and puck control. As a result, he’s stronger with the puck and has softer hands. His ability to control the puck in tight spots, especially in the corners and along the walls is impressive.

Although he’s only 29, Marchand considers himself one of the older guys in the league with nine seasons of experience. He’s witnessed first-hand how the game is becoming younger and quicker, so he’s trying to stay ahead of the younger players.

“You see all the kids nowadays, the things they can do with the puck, and I want to keep up with them skills-wise, so I work on that stuff,” he said with a smile.

The 2017 calendar year was a productive one for Marchand. He’s looking to improve on those numbers in '18 in hopes it leads to team success.