National Hockey League fans have noticed how much the game has changed, but you have to believe that players have to. Boston Bruins star forward Brad Marchand sat down with Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star, and complained about one major change in his game.
A surprising one too - when you know about how he can be a pest.
“There’s no chirping anymore,” said Marchand before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. “It’s unbelievable. Nobody chirps anymore. You’re not allowed to say — you can’t say anything. Everybody’s worried about what they’re going to say, there’s mics everywhere, and I think that’s part of the reason refs are cracking down: s--- gets picked up on mics.”
Arthur suggested a more family-friendly approach, but the 29-year-old dismissed it right away.
“Family-acceptable chirping?” asked Marchand. “What’s the point of that? Why am I going to chirp a guy, like, ‘You stink’? That’s not going to do anything.”
It might BE a great change for the Bruins top forward. His on-ice antics have often taken over from his offensive talent. In 13 games so far this season, Marchand has recorded eight goals and 15 points. It's time for a change.
“Yeah, (agitating) is fun, it is,” added Marchand. “My first year, I was playing with (Shawn) Thornton and (Gregory) Campbell, and every single whistle we were getting into it, and we had a lot of fun at first. But it’s just not there anymore. The times.”
Let's see how well Marchand can adjust to the game, and if he will indulge once in a while...
