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Somehow still complains about the call. |
Well, Brad Marchand, you've done it again.
Marchand is having a career year right now, with a career-high 85 points, career-high 39 goals and a career-high 46 assists. He ranks second in goal-scoring to only Sidney Crosby, and is fourth in points. Before the season began, Marchand was selected to go to the World Cup of Hockey to represent Canada, no small honor. He helped Canada place first, and during this season could have jumped to superstar status.
Instead, he started looking like a dirty player. Marchand slew-footed Niklas Kronwall late January of this year. He got away without a suspension, and only had to pay the maximum fine ($10,000). And that wasn't the first time. Marchand had a dirty hit in 2012 that cost him a five-game suspension. He then got suspended in 2014-15 for slew-footing Derick Brassard for two games. He got suspended in 2015 for three games for another dirty hit that cost him the opportunity to play in the 2016 NHL Winter Classic. In all, Marchand has been suspended six times since March of 2011, and has had a lot more dirty plays than that. This time, it was a spearing penalty that got him a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Marchand takes a little shove from the Lightning defenseman and goes absolutely crazy.
Here's the play:
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The NHL hasn't applied nearly enough force in this situation. Obviously, Marchand hasn't learned from his previous suspensions. With his Bruins team clinching the playoffs last night and only having a few more games to play, a medium-length suspension would have a lasting effect on his Boston team. The NHL needs to put its foot down and suspend Marchand for at least four or five games, knocking him out from a couple games of the playoffs. If the NHL continues with this, we'll see how valuable he really is and if the Bruins dig themselves into a hole they can't climb out of.
Brad Marchand is no rookie. He entered the league in 2009. To elevate himself to superstar status, he would have to work hard to clear himself from his ways as a cheap player and start focusing on playing hockey. You don't see Patrick Kane or Brent Burns trying to pull this kind of thing. Now, Marchand has tarnished his career and it is my belief that even if he becomes one of the greatest players in the league, he will never be able to put this behind him.
So way to go, Marchand.
And good luck, Boston.
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