Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand is on track to return from the six-game suspension he earned for punching and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry back on Feb. 8 when Boston plays at the Seattle Kraken Thursday night.
That was Marchand’s second ban of the season and eighth of his NHL career, as he missed three games this fall for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The 33-year-old spoke with reporters before Thursday’s matchup and admitted he realizes he’s on thin ice going forward.
“Obviously, I think what I’m taking away from this is my threshold is very low right now,” Marchand explained, according to The Associated Press (h/t ESPN). “So I really just have to stay away from anything at all, which I can do. I’ve been able to do it for a number of years now. And again, it’s just wrapping my mind around that and accepting it, whether you agree with it or not, and move forward within the rules that I now understand are set for me.”
The Bruins began Thursday’s NHL action fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with 62 points, six points back of the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston will want Marchand on his best behavior through the spring, as he’s still tied for the team lead with 49 points, the leader among Bruins players with 28 assists and second on the roster with 21 goals this season despite his absences.
“He’s paid the price for it and he needs to keep his nose clean,” head coach Bruce Cassidy added. “We’ve said it a lot, he’s got to play on Brad’s edge but not cross it. We’ve said that a lot so this is nothing no one’s ever heard. But he’s really got to be careful. We’re getting into almost March. The next one could be even more punitive. So I think he understands that as well.”
Following Thursday’s contest, Boston plays at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
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