Brad Marchand and Marcus Johansson have a well-documented history, but that’s now all water under the bridge.
Marchand, you might recall, was suspended five games last season for elbowing Johnansson, then a member of the New Jersey Devils. So, when news broke Monday that the Boston Bruins acquired Johansson in a deadline deal with New Jersey, it was fair to wonder whether the two could co-exist. Johansson, of course, was highly critical of Marchand after the hit.
Well, the new teammates are off to a great start. After Tuesday’s practice, Johansson revealed that Marchand called him shortly after the deal went down.
“He called me yesterday and we spoke for a bit, he apologized,” Johansson said. ” … I think that was a great gesture from him. … I’ve heard great things about (Marchand), that he’s a great guy, a great teammate.”
.@mjohansson90 on joining the #NHLBruins: "Got a lot of texts and phone calls, feel very welcome right away. This seems like a great organization. And it's obviously a great hockey team, so I'm excited to be here." pic.twitter.com/Z7cOXngSc1
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 26, 2019
Johansson makes his Bruins debut Tuesday night when Boston hosts the San Jose Sharks. The 28-year-old Swedish winger will play right wing on the second line alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.
