Marchand faces media with new approach after disciplinary meeting with Bruins

The Boston Bruins are hosting the Carolina Hurricanes tonight for the first contest of the Eastern Conference finals and reporters are hoping Brad Marchand will be in a better mood to face tough questions in the third round. 

GM Don Sweeney made it clear after the debacle of Game 6 against the Columbus Blue Jackets when he answered 19 questions with 39 words following an uncomfortable moment with Sportsnet reporter Kyle Bukauskas on the ice. It all started in Game 2 when Bukaukas made an inappropriate joke about Marchand sharpening his skates, he who was caught red handed stomping on Cam Atkison’s stick in Game 1 in order to break it while standing near the face-off circle. Marchand did not appreciate the comment and ever since has given short quick answers to Bukauskas, preventing him from doing his job.

““It’s something we’ll address. We always do. We talk to all of our players when we have situations that arise and become a little more public than we would like them, said Sweeney on Tuesday.

“We’ll address it accordingly. Brad has obligations to you and the media in a respectful manner and be a professional, and we’ll address it.”

And so they did, because when Marchand faced media after practice on Wednesday, he appeared to be more professional. 

He came to the reporters in the press room, succeeding head coach Bruce Cassidy at the podium. Questions came about why he was so short with the press following Game 6 and he refused to answer. 

But he did it in an appropriate manner, one that will make you smile: he went to the Bill Belichick media playbook instead.

 “We’ll talk about Round 3.”

He was pressured again to talk about Game 6, Marchand remained calm. 

“Not today,” Marchand said. “We’re on to Round 3.”

It seems like Marchand listened to his team’s words in his disciplinary meeting and is now focus on the round ahead against the Hurricanes. 

“It’s very exciting to be where we’re at,” Marchand said. “But we can’t get lost in the moment. We’re only halfway to where we want to be. We’ve done what we wanted to accomplish to this point, but we’re not satisfied. And we didn’t come in the beginning of the year saying we want to get to the third round. We want to go the distance. We’re happy with where we’re at, but a long ways from where we want to be.”

Good on you, Marchand.