Brad Marchand has never been so popular in the NHL

On Tuesday, Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand spoke out on the National Hockey League’s decision to pull out of February’s Beijing Olympics.

In a statement on his personal Twitter account, Marchand took issue with the league’s ability to create taxi squads for NHL teams in order to fill out rosters and get games in, but its apparent lack of desire to provide something similar for teams in the Olympics. This is how he put it:

“The NHL and NHLPA can change the rules of the CBA to add a Taxi Squads so that they don’t miss any games and don’t lose any money…which has already been agreed upon that players will pay back in escrow until the owners are made whole from what they have lost during the pandemic, regardless [of] how many games are missed…yet they can’t do a Taxi Squad during the Olympics, so they can honor the agreement they made so the NHL players can go…please tell me that’s not bulls**t…and for all of you who want to pipe back about forfeiting pay while being gone…yah not a problem…let the players make their choice.”

Before the NHL-wide pause, the league officially announced its decision to keep its players home from competing in the Olympics after more than 50 games were postponed due to the recent rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus. We are now up to 70 games postponed across the NHL.

Marchand, who would have been part of Team Canada, does not agree with how players are being punished when it comes to the Winter Games and has suddenly become the most popular guy in the league, You know that has never happened to Marchand, often named the most detestable player in the league. However, other NHLers have supported his statement, agreeing with Marchand’s point that taxi squads should have been allowed and added to the agreement for the Olympics. Check it out, even a guy like Ryan Callahan, who Marchand licked his face years ago, agrees with him:

We feel for Marchand’s captain Patrice Bergeron, who saw his last chance to represent his country at the Olympics evaporated with the announcement. As for Marchand, he has never represented Canada at an Olympic Games.

This is sad all around, especially when players, like Marchand, are suggesting good solutions to have NHLers attend the Winter Games. Marchy, we’re with you too!