Brad Marchand refuses team help ahead of the playoffs
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The Boston Bruins were stunned in the playoffs a season ago when they were banged up and injured, so now, the potential idea of load management down the stretch has been talked about in Boston.
Would captain Brad Marchand partake in load management this year?
That topic has been raised again in Boston, and it made it's way to Brad Marchand, who had this response when asked about load management this season;
«I would need to be feeling really bad if I'm going to sit out to try to be healthy. The best way you can prepare to play is to play,» he said. If I'm going to sit, I'll sit out of a practice, I'm not going to sit out of a game. If I feel like it's really going to benefit me and I'm in a lot of pain in an area, maybe I'll look at it.
«I also feel like I watched the guys who played before me and I respected and learned from and they didn't sit out for anything,» he said. «So I have a hard time sitting out for anything at all. I feel like you have to play through things. It's part of being a good pro. You play through pain. Time and place and you make that call when the time comes.»
«I also feel like I watched the guys who played before me and I respected and learned from and they didn't sit out for anything,» he said. «So I have a hard time sitting out for anything at all. I feel like you have to play through things. It's part of being a good pro. You play through pain. Time and place and you make that call when the time comes.»
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It's not yet clear whether or not coaches have suggested this, but given all the health issues they had before being swept by the Florida Panthers in the first round, it must be an area of concern for the team.
How far can the Bruins go in the playoffs this season?
Since that loss, the Bruins have lost both David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron, but it hasn't seemed to slow them down at all in 2023-24, as they enter the trade deadline with the idea of improving this team for a deep run.
Whatever happens though, Marchand is sending the right message that you play through any pain for your team, a hallmark of the NHL that isn't seen in other top sports, so don't expect to see load management out of the captain any time soon.
As Read on Mass Live - Would Bruins' captain consider resting to be healthier for postseason?
| POLL | ||
6 FEVRIER | 346 ANSWERS Brad Marchand refuses team help ahead of the playoffs Should NHL players utilize load management like the NBA? | ||
| Yes | 109 | 31.5 % |
| No | 237 | 68.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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