Even with the Bruins advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, we sit here two days post-Game 6 talking about the “antics” of Brad Marchand.
What is absolutely mind-boggling about this is the fact that Marchand did nothing wrong, yet the media is still trying to rip no. 63 in black & gold for how he was in, wait for it, his pre and postgame interviews.
What bothers me the most is how the media tends to always feel victimized when a player doesn’t give them the answer they are looking for. But what Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet did prior to Game 5 on Saturday was just juvenile.
As you can see, Brad Marchand gives a very professional answer to the first question Bukauskas asks him regarding David Pastrnak. However, when the young reporter asks him a rather snide question about if he got his skate resharpened after Game 4 that Marchand gave a quick answer and skated off.
Let me first remind you that Marchand is sacrificing his own time to warm up before a pivotal Game 5 to give an interview. Bukausksas, whether he can crack jokes with players and coaches, needs to realize that should never occur while on camera. It’s unprofessional, and to criticize Marchand for how he acted is just irresponsible.
Fast forward to Game 6: Marchand and the Bruins had just clinched an Eastern Conference Finals berth for the first time since 2013. Marchand is once again asked to give an interview on Sportsnet with Bukauskas, and once again he wasn’t the most sociable person on the planet.
Is it mature of Marchand to act this way? Probably not. However, I don’t blame him. If I were in Marchand’s shoes, I wouldn’t want to give this guy very good answers either after the snide question he was asked prior to Game 4.
And good for Brad Marchand. He is consistently ragged on in the National media for being a player who crosses the line regularly –– yet he’s always treated the media with nothing but respect. That being said, the media had always been professional with him up until that pregame question asked by Bukauskas in Game 5.
The Bruins open up the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday at 8 pm ET. Needless to say, let’s make that the topic of discussion; not about whether Brad Marchand is going to give elaborate answers. Deal? Okay cool.
