Brad Marchand's skills as a playmaker have improved dramatically in recent years, and no game was a bigger indication of the fact than Thursday night's win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Although Marchy was unable to find the back of the net for the Boston Bruins in the 5-1 win, that didn't stop him from having his highest-scoring game of the season. The left winger had four points in the win, all on assists to Patrice Bergeron. Marchand reached the four-point threshold just twice last season -- most recently being Apr. 18 against the Washington Capitals -- but in neither case did he do so strictly off of assists.
After a career-high of 28 assists through his first seven seasons, the 33-year-old has exploded since the 2015-16 season with at least 40 assists in each season and even topped off at 64 during the 2018-18 campaign. The 2021-22 season could shape up to be his best yet assist-wise as he already has eight in the squad's first eight games putting him on past for an impressive 82 if he were to maintain the pace.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy certainly has seen a difference in his approach and broke it down after Friday's practice.
"I think just the vision from being there in that spot for one, it's a different look than five-on-five. He's a left winger coming down the left wing, he may come down either side but he's attacking downhill there it's a little more lateral plays," Cassidy said via team-provided audio. "I think he's always looked for (Patrice Bergeron) in the slot and (David Pastrnak) off net front or off to the side so that triangle has always been there, but now you're doing it standing still a little more.
"I think there's a lot of practice that goes into it and getting repetitions and confidence and understanding that the puck goes through him. I think it makes you feel better about yourself and you probably trust yourself more to make those plays after awhile if you're the guy that we're relying on. So that's what I've seen with him. He's always been a good puck retriever from Day 1. We put him net front so that's never been an issue. Second effort, third effort on the puck it's just the vision part and I suspect, and Brad can answer this better, he watches other players."
Something clicked for the scrappy forward during the 2015-16 season, and while his assist numbers have skyrocketed, so too have his goals and the Bruins need each and every point from him right now.
