Bruins Captain Gets Incredibly Honest About Teams Injuring Players in NHL Playoffs

Bruins veteran Brad Marchand admitted that trying to hurt opposing players is just "part of the playoffs."

Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour gets in the face of Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins are hopeful of getting captain Brad Marchand back in the lineup for Game 6 against the Florida Panthers on Friday night.

Marchand has been sidelined for the past two games while dealing with an upper-body injury, which stemmed from a controversial hit he received from Panthers forward Sam Bennett.

When discussing the play with reporters on Thursday, Marchand didn't mince words when detailing the mentality of players during the NHL playoffs. In brutally honest fashion, Marchand suggested that trying to injure opposing players is not uncommon during the postseason, despite not everyone being ready or willing to admit it.

"That's part of the game. It's part of the playoffs. People don't want to say it, but part of the playoffs is trying to hurt every player on the other team. And the more guys you take out, the more advantage your team has," said Marchand.

“People don’t wanna say it but part of playoffs is trying to hurt every player on the other team, and the more guys you take out, the more advantage your team has.” - Brad Marchand on Sam Bennett injuring him.

pic.twitter.com/O9lUwQjjCm

— Nasty Knuckles (@NastyKnuckles) May 16, 2024

"People don't say that, but that's just a fact of the game. So, every time you step onto the ice, someone's trying to hurt someone, and that's just how it goes in playoffs. ... That's part of the benefit of having a physical group," he added.

Marchand also added that he doesn't hold any ill will told Bennett, describing the hit that cost him the last two games as "playoff hockey," though he admitted he felt that Bennett "got away with one."

The Bruins will look to avoid elimination on Friday night, potentially with Marchand back on the ice, and he may have set the tone for a physical showdown in Game 6 with the honest nature of his comments.