The Bruins are going to be without Brad Marchand for a couple weeks.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday night that it has suspended Marchand for six games for roughing and high-sticking Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry on Tuesday.
The incident came with just 24 seconds left in the Bruins' 4-2 loss. Jarry and Marchand appeared to exchange words after the whistle, and then Marchand leaned in and threw a punch at Jarry, catching him on the side of his helmet. Then as Marchand was being dragged away by a linesman, he went back at Jarry with his stick and jabbed him in the mask.
This is the eighth suspension of Marchand's career, and his longest one yet. It's his second this season alone, after he got three games for slew-footing Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in November. He has also been fined five other times.
The Department of Player Safety cited that lengthy history in its video announcing the decision, noting that the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA calls for more severe punishment for each new violation from a repeat offender.
Marchand will miss the Bruins' next six games against the Hurricanes, Senators, Rangers, Islanders, Senators again, and Avalanche. He will be eligible to return on Feb. 24 at Seattle.
Marchand's foolish actions came at an especially bad time given that Patrice Bergeron had already been injured earlier in Tuesday's game. The Bruins will be without two-thirds of their top line for at least Thursday's game against Carolina, and possibly more depending on how much time Bergeron ends up missing.
Here is the updated rundown of Marchand's suspension history:
-March 17, 2011: 2 games for elbowing R.J. Umberger
-Jan. 9, 2012: 5 games for low-bridging Sami Salo
-Jan. 15, 2015: 2 games for slew-footing Derick Brassard
-Dec. 29, 2015: 3 games for clipping Mark Borowiecki
-April 5, 2017: 2 games for spearing Jake Dotchin
-Jan. 23, 2018: 5 games for elbowing Marcus Johansson
-Nov. 28, 2021: 3 games for slew-footing Oliver Ekman-Larsson
-Feb. 8, 2022: 6 games for roughing/high-sticking Tristan Jarry
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