Nearly 48 hours after he was suspended for six games for punching and hitting Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry, Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has accepted responsibility for his actions.
Sort of.
Speaking about the incident itself in retrospect, Marchand responded to the aftermath as only he knows how.
“Of course it was stupid,” Marchand said, via The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. “I’m not denying that. I absolutely should not have done it. But suspension-worthy? I don’t think so.
“These plays were not going to injure Jarry. No potential injury on that play. He was very well protected. The fact that it’s six games is based on history, not on the play.”
Marchand had been suspended seven times and fined on five previous occasions before this latest disciplinary hearing. This is the longest suspension of his NHL career to date.
The 33-year-old has recorded 21 goals and 28 assists in 39 games for the Bruins this season.
