It what has already been a special career Brad Marchand made history Tuesday night against Columbus. In the third period, Marchand got his second point of the game giving him 100 on the season. He became only the 10th player to have a 100-point season in a Bruins uniform joining an elite group that includes Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, and John Buyck among others.
The last Bruins player to accomplish the feat was Joe Thornton, who did it during the 2002-2003 season. The milestone shows just how far the Bruins right winger has come since his rookie season.
When Marchand first broke into the league, he was known as a notorious pest. As that style of play has fallen out of favor, Marchand has become one of the best at his position. With 36 goals this season he has reached the 30 goal mark for the fourth straight year.
His 64 assists easily surpass his previous career high of 51 set last season. As the former third-round pick, has become an elite scorer he has also become one of the main leaders on this team.
Additionally, earlier this season when Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron were injured, the Bruins needed someone to take up their leadership roles. Bruce Cassidy’s choice was Marchand, the same player who has been suspended numerous times throughout his career.
While he struggled with that role at first, Marchand has grown into it as the season has progressed. To his teammates, it is a side of his persona that has always been present but hidden under his public image. It has also reflected in his statistics.
Since the 2014-2015 season, Marchand’s assist totals have increased every year. On the powerplay, his numbers also have been on the rise. With only two games remaining, he has 10 goals and 34 points on the man advantage alone.
While Marchand has become an elite scorer, his 115 assists over the last two years prove that he is also a dynamic playmaker. As a result, he is now the Bruins second-best player behind Patrice Bergeron on one of the most dangerous lines in hockey.
With the regular season winding down however his main focus is on the postseason. The Bruins will face Toronto in the first round and will need their dynamic winger at his best. Marchand’s milestone, however, was a reminder of how special this regular season has been. While no one can predict the future it is not hard to imagine Marchand’s number hanging in the rafters one day alongside some of the names he is now forever linked with.
