Boston Bruins star/agitator extraordinaire Brad Marchand had a hearing with the NHL today regarding a cheap, high-flying elbow delivered on New Jersey Devils forwards Marcus Johansson on Tuesday night. While Marchand avoided a penalty on the play, Johansson was on the ice for several minutes and did not return to the game.
On Wednesday, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy spoke to the media about the elbow.
“Talking to Brad this morning he just felt he saw a Devils sweater and was going to protect himself from contact and from there, it’s in the league’s hands now,” Cassidy said. “Brad’s taken a couple hits this year, missed some time, so I absolutely agree players should protect themselves if they see a hit coming.”
You can view the incident in the video atop this page and it’s hard to argue there was no intent on Marchand’s part. It doesn’t look as though Johansson is attempting to get physical with Marchand as the play comes to a close either — he’s not even looking at him. Rather, Marchand comes crashing into the crease area, and “chicken wings” his elbow up and at Johansson’s head.
Marchand was asked about the play after the game and said he didn’t know what happened on the play.
Marchand has been suspended five times in his NHL career, the latest coming on April 6, 2017 when he got two games for spearing Lightning defenceman Jake Dotchin.
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