May 11, 2018
Sweeney: 'We hope' Marchand can stop antics
Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is hoping Brad Marchand can follow through on his promose to stop his antics, namely licking his opponents.
TSN.ca Staff

Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is hoping Brad Marchand can follow through on his promise to stop his antics, namely licking his opponents.
“I think this one’s hit a lot harder than some of the other things that have come his way,” Sweeney said at his end-of-season availability, per the Boston Globe. “He spoke a little bit about his family and how it reflects on him as a person - more so than on him as a player.”
Marchand received a formal warning from the NHL in the Bruins' second-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning after he licked Ryan Callahan – the second such incident of the post-season. The 34-goal scorer said earlier this week that he's "got to cut that [expletive] out," even if it leads to a drop in his numbers.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy added Marchand will continue to play with an edge, but needs to avoid raising the league's ire.
“He’s at a stage in his life and a maturity level that I think he understands, he truly gets that he doesn’t need the other stuff to continue to be an elite player,” he said of Marchand, who turned 30 on Friday. “There’s a certain level of Brad that has to be out there for him to perform the way he does.
“He likes certain challenges, as do a lot of players in this league. Those are the ones we have to focus on without crossing the line. So the licking, is that crossing the line? Apparently it is.”