Brad Marchand

Brad Marchand
Marchand with the Boston Bruins in March 2016
Born	(1988-05-11) May 11, 1988 (age 36) Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	182 lb (83 kg; 13 st 0 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Boston Bruins
National team	Canada
NHL draft	71st overall, 2006 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2008–present
Website	bradmarchand.com

Bradley Kevin Marchand (/mɑːrˈʃænd/ mahr-SHAND;^[1] born May 11, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins selected Marchand in the third round, 71st overall, of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Marchand was raised in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, the oldest of four children born to two local hockey coaches. Between 2004 and 2008, Marchand played for three junior ice hockey teams: he was drafted by the Moncton Wildcats, was traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs in 2006, and was traded again to the Halifax Mooseheads in 2007. At the same time, the Bruins were scouting Marchand, and made a trade with the New York Islanders to ensure that he was drafted by Boston in 2006.

After Halifax fell to the Gatineau Olympiques in the 2009 QMJHL championships, with Marchand a healthy scratch for their elimination game, the Bruins told Marchand to stay home and report that fall for training camp. He spent the 2008–09 AHL season with the Providence Bruins before making his NHL debut in October 2009. Marchand was a member of the Bruins' starting roster in 2010, playing on the fourth line and helping the Bruins win the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals after being moved up from the fourth to the first line once the playoffs began. Marchand also helped the Bruins clinch appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019, respectively. Marchand and the Bruins struggled in the next few seasons. As time went on, Marchand was increasing both his number of goals per season and his reputation as a pest.

During the 2017–18 NHL season, Marchand received a series of fines, suspensions, and media controversies for hits on his opponents. He decided after the season to focus on improving his character, and followed through by scoring 100 points (36 goals, 64 assists) during the 2018–19 NHL season. Marchand's high-scoring season was undercut by a disappointing defeat in game seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, and as he moved into the 2019–20 NHL season, Marchand focused on setting up scoring chances for linemates Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrňák. However, Marchand's reputation of suspensions and rule-breaking behavior continued in the 2021–22 NHL season, as he was suspended a total of nine games in that season alone,^[2] and becoming the most suspended player in NHL history, in terms of individual suspensions.