Bruins captain Brad Marchand underwent a trio of surgical procedures this summer time, he instructed reporters at an off-the-cuff skate Tuesday (via Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub). The winger could also be barely restricted to begin coaching camp later this month however expects to be prepared for opening evening, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI.
The primary process Marchand had accomplished was to restore a torn tendon in his elbow that plagued him for everything of the 2023-24 marketing campaign, he stated. He additionally underwent belly and groin surgical procedures to restore accidents he sustained late within the common season.
These accidents barely price Marchand any enjoying time. For the second time in his profession, he performed in all 82 regular-season video games, however he missed two playoff video games with what the crew known as an upper-body damage. That one was presumably addressed with belly surgical procedure.
Marchand slowed offensively in 2023-24, however whether or not that was due to his accidents or age stays to be seen. The 15-year veteran is coming into his age-36 season and posted 67 factors (0.82 per sport) final 12 months, his lowest per-game fee since 2015-16. He nonetheless managed to complete second on the crew in scoring behind David Pastrňák and helped lead the Bruins to their first playoff sequence win since 2021 in his first season as captain following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement.
He’ll reprise his top-six function this season, however probably not on a line with Pastrňák with free-agent signing Elias Lindholm down the center. Marchand stated he expects to begin the 12 months again on the crew’s second line, centered by Charlie Coyle (via Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe).
It’s an vital marketing campaign for Marchand as he kicks off the ultimate 12 months of the eight-year, $49M extension he signed again in 2016. Normal supervisor Don Sweeney
said in May that signing Marchand to an extension was one among his high priorities this summer time, but it surely hasn’t occurred but.