Grade the Players: Brad Marchand was excellent again this season

Grade: A

Death, taxes, and the Bruins’ first line playing well.

You’ve been able to rely on the latter for years now, and Brad Marchand was a big part in making sure that trend continued again this season.

Simply put, Marchand was excellent from the get-go. He was well on his way to his fifth consecutive 30+ goal season when the regular season was cut short due to COVID-19.

Additionally, his 59 regular season assists were the second-highest total of his career (just beaten out by last year’s 64).

And while the Return to Play wasn’t really kind to anyone on the Bruins, Marchand held up his end of the bargain: he recorded 7 goals and 5 assists in 13 games in the bubble.

Overall, it’s hard to find much to complain about regarding Marchand’s play this season. He continues to be a reliable player in both the neutral zone and defensive zone, and the offensive numbers speak for themselves.

Additionally, Marchand went another season without getting himself in disciplinary hot water, ensuring he didn’t leave his team shorthanded.

While “not getting suspended” shouldn’t really be cause for celebration, it’s nice to see Marchand’s game continue to mature.

Still, that doesn’t mean Marchand lost his edge. He continued to be a pest in the best sense of the word, and still showed that he’s got plenty of scrappiness in his game:

In recent years, Marchand has emerged as arguably the Bruins’ most reliable player on offense.

He’s recorded 80+ points in each of the last four seasons, remains a good defensive player, and has become more and more of a leader each season as well.

What more could you ask for?

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