If there was ever an NHLer capable of defying a projected recovery timeline from major surgery, it’d probably be Brad Marchand — a self-driven winger who, even after establishing himself as one of the top forwards in the game, still operates with a hefty chip on his shoulder.
But given the uphill climb that Marchand was staring at when he first spoke to the media back in September about his offseason hip surgery, even the self-assured winger was frank when it came to the long road ahead — and the risk of trying to rush back ahead of schedule.
“ It's like pretty much learning how to skate again,” Marchand said of his rehab back to game shape. “So it's gonna be really light for the first little while. Hopefully, progress each week. Hopefully, get back to feeling good."
During that media scrum at Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, Marchand noted that a return to game action around Thanksgiving remained the goal, opting to not deviate from that projected timeline in the weeks that followed.
But now, still about a month ahead of that expected date, it does seem like Marchand is changing his tune — and the Bruins are anticipating their top left-wing getting cleared way before the end of November.
After being a regular participant during practice sessions at Warrior Ice Arena over the past week, Marchand took another step forward on Wednesday, skating in his usual top-line spot with Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk while taking contact.
While Jim Montgomery acknowledged that the 34-year-old winger will not be cleared to play Thursday or Friday against Detroit and Columbus, it doesn’t seem like a return with 7-10 days is out of the question at this point.
"He's ahead of schedule,” Montgomery said. “He's gonna play before Thanksgiving. As you can tell — he's starting to look good out there, his timing is starting to come.”
Recovering from an offseason procedure on both hips is an arduous endeavor for any NHLer, let alone a player in Marchand who has tacked a lot of mileage onto his 5-foot-9 frame. But through those weeks spent on crutches or off-ice strengthening exercises, Marchand is already gaining the benefits when it comes to playing pain-free in his lower body.
“My range of motion feels awesome,” Marchand said. “Really happy with how I feel coming back and figuring that all out. Very happy with the pain as well. It’s been six or seven years since I have played without pain in my legs and groins and hips. It’s a treat to not have to worry about that moving forward. It feels really good.”
Of course, even if those nagging ailments have subsided, the Bruins will still operate with caution, even with Marchand is finally cleared to play. It’s to be expected that Marchand will need some time to shake off the rust and get his timing back, with his overall strength and conditioning still a work in progress.
"It's coming back,” Marchand said of his trademark strength on his skates. “It definitely is not 100% where I'd like it to be. But I feel great. But I'm just nitpicking at this point. I would like to feel like I would at the end of a normal summer.
“And I'm really close to that. … It's something we're gonna have to work on throughout the year. And I knew that. I knew that was going to be something that we'd have to chip away at it. But I'm not far off. Still ahead of everyone else.”
The return of Marchand (and eventually, Charlie McAvoy) can’t be understated when it comes to how both franchise cogs will further strengthen a team already off to a 6-1-0 start. Whether it be his passing ability on the power play, aggressive PK work or deadly 5v5 chemistry next to Bergeron, Marchand will make an already effective top-six unit downright deadly in due time.
Boston’s strong start has made things a bit easier for Marchand when it comes to his rehab process … in a sense.
Sure, Marchand isn’t rushing back to try to save a team struggling to stay afloat in the standings. But given the instant results that Boston is generating, Marchand is chomping at the bit to join what is already looking like a potential contender in the East.
“Double-edged sword,” Marchand said of wanting to join in Boston’s strong start. “You want to be part of the team’s success. But it makes it very easy to take the time I need to come back when the team’s winning the way they are. If we were 1-6, it would be a completely different story. I probably would have been back a month ago. The fact that they’re winning, it makes it very easy to just sit back and say, ‘Don’t rush it. Make sure you take your time.’ We’re in it for the long haul, especially the way the team looks.”