His off-ice activities since that victory have elicited a similar level of interest, though not always in such a positive light. Beyond his ongoing negotiations for a new contract that have dragged to within a week of the start of training camp, the often shirtless Marchand also drew criticism for what some perceived as over-exuberant celebrations in the weeks after winning the Cup.
“It comes up every now and then, but we won the Stanley Cup,” Marchand said of the criticism of his partying. “I’m 23 years old. Maybe I went a little harder than I should have, but it’s something that we’ve dreamed about all our lives. That’s all it was.”
Marchand, on hand to participate in optional captain’s practices at Ristuccia Arena despite not having a deal in place, also dismissed any concerns that his celebrating has left him out of shape or unprepared for the coming season.
“I had my fun for a week or two, but I trained a lot harder after that,” Marchand said. “The goal is to be in the best possible shape as I can be for the season. That’s all I’ve been doing is trying to get in shape.”
Marchand declared that he was in “good shape,” with the 5-foot-9, 183-pound forward noting he was at the same weight that he entered camp at last year.
“I didn’t take much time off,” said Marchand, who has been skating since the start of August. “The summer’s so short and you want to get ready for the season. Just because we won last year doesn’t mean we don’t want to do the same thing again this year. You have to get ready and prepare, so I got back into it right away. I skated a lot sooner than I normally would have, but that’s how it goes sometimes. You have to work for what you get.”
Marchand’s hard work last year helped him put together a breakthrough 21-20-41 campaign, then another 11-8-19 in the postseason. It also helped him contribute to the Bruins’ Cup victory, which in turn earned him a day with hockey’s greatest prize late last month.
That celebration allowed him to break training a bit, with a breakfast of champions that included a full box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch eaten directly out of the Cup. Considering some of the other things that have been placed in the Cup over the years, it might not be the most sterile serving dish, but the cereal never tasted sweeter to Marchand.
“It was good,” Marchand said. “I didn’t even clean it. Maybe I should have thought about that. I don’t care anyway.
“At least I’m not the one who dropped it,” Marchand added, taking a friendly shot at former teammate Michael Ryder.
Marchand was fortunate to get his meal in before Ryder had his day with the Cup. Ryder, who signed with Dallas as a free agent this summer, got his day off to a rocky start when the Cup was dented after falling off a table on his watch.
That incident came as no surprise to Marchand, who would have picked Ryder as the player most likely to endure such a mishap.
“I think Rydes is a pretty safe bet,” Marchand said. “He’d definitely be atop most guys’ lists.”
