Brad Marchand is one of the best known pests in the league and has a way of getting under your skin. It doesn’t matter if it is a big hit or a big goal, Marchand will take care of it for you and is obviously a coach’s dream as a result. He will now be a Bruin for the foreseeable future as he signed an eight-year deal, worth $49 million. The average cap hit isn’t what is scaring people off of the deal as he is one of the best and most consistent forwards in the league. The length of his contract is the part where you scratch your head.
Everyone knows that players that are as physical as Marchand don’t last very long in the NHL. This isn’t to say that Marchand can’t last the entirety of his contract in the league, but it is to say that making that investment is riskier than you think.
Here’s a look at how Marchand stacks up compared to the rest of the league:
You won’t find a player that is more decidedly a first liner than Marchand. He is helped significantly by Patrice Bergeron,but luckily the two will be together for a long period of time. The Bruins have a core that will be aging together and it makes their next few years all the more interesting. Are they going to be able to contend again? Is the core still good enough in today’s NHL?
Regardless, Marchand is their investment and as he continues to perform well during the World Cup of Hockey, who are we to criticize?
