Brad Marchand admits to hilarious fact regarding Boston Bruins captains' unique trait

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Nov 04, 2023 15:13 GMT

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand is a familiar name in the National Hockey League, and is known for his tenacious and vocal style on the ice. Marchand's reputation extends beyond his defensive prowess; he's often recognized for his ability to get under his opponents' skin.

In fact, in a preseason player poll, the 35-year-old forward was dubbed the "biggest chirper" in the league. Marchand's knack for getting into the heads of his opponents was further highlighted in a recent appearance on the podcast "What Chaos!"

During the podcast, hosts DJ Bean and Peter Blackburn wasted no time in diving into the topic of the unique trait shared by Boston Bruins captains over the years – their size. Marchand, who stands at 5-foot-9, humorously addressed the trend of smaller captains within the Bruins organization. He playfully quipped:

"I think when you get a guy that's eight feet tall, there's only one direction to go."

Marchand's reference to the towering Zdeno Chara, who stood at an imposing 6-9 while wearing a Bruins uniform, drew a hearty laugh from the hosts. Bean even went a step further, presenting a chart that projected the Bruins captain's size for the year 2035, humorously suggesting it would be a diminutive 2-9.

In response to the light-hearted banter, Marchand maintained his sense of humor:

"That will be about the size I am in 2035."

Despite the ongoing trend of smaller captains within the Bruins' ranks, Marchand made it clear that he doesn't consider himself a "short king."

Former NHL player Paul Bissonnette voices support for Brad Marchand following a contentious check on Timothy Liljegren

In a recent NHL game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brad Marchand found himself at the center of a heated controversy due to a contentious play. This incident took place in a league where hard hits and collisions are a part of the game, but Marchand's actions stirred a passionate debate.

The controversial moment unfolded when Marchand executed what's known as a "can opener" on Timothy Liljegren, a defenseman for the Maple Leafs, sending him into the boards. Despite the intensity of the hit, it went unpunished by the officials, prompting immediate outrage among fans and commentators.

Former NHL star and current TNT host and podcaster Paul Bissonnette was among those who came to Brad Marchand's defense.

According to Bissonnette, the hit should not be considered dirty, as he argued that Liljegren had initiated contact, and both players were engaged in a stick battle. In his view, Marchand's physicality simply resulted in him gaining the upper hand in the battle for positioning behind Liljegren's skate.

Bissonnette's perspective challenged the notion that Brad Marchand's hit was malicious or deserving of a suspension.