WILMINGTON, Mass. — Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand will speak to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Friday afternoon about his alleged slew foot on New York Rangers center Derick Brassard during the previous night’s game.
A phone hearing means Marchand is able to be suspended for up to five games. He was fined in December 2011 for slew-footing then-Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen.
Here is the play in question from the second period:
“It’s just like you go to the corner with them and you go shoulder to shoulder, but he brings his leg in the back and I felt like I had a slew foot there,” Brassard said. “I don’t want to find any excuses about it, I don’t want to be crybaby or anything, but it could’ve been dangerous, and it could be a game-changer.”
Brassard remained in the game and didn’t suffer an injury on the play.
“Yeah, four guys, clean hit, shoulder-to-shoulder, the way I fell on the ice I maybe could’ve missed the rest of the season if I hurt my knee there, but luckily enough there,” Brassard said. “Like I said, Marchand’s a pretty good player, he’s feisty, competes hard, but those kind of things, we don’t want that in our game.”
Marchand was present at Friday’s practice at Ristuccia Arena and skated in his normal left wing spot alongside Patrice Bergeron and Reilly Smith. Daniel Paille also skated in the left wing position on that line.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
