NHL players love to hate Brad Marchand, yet they also would jump at the chance to play with him.
So say the results of the 2022 NHLPA Player Poll, in which the Boston Bruins forward won the vote in the category "Which player do you least enjoy playing against, but would like to have on your team?" Marchand garnered 26% of the vote, beating Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid (18.3%), Washington Capitals villain Tom Wilson (10.7%) and other contenders by a comfortable margin.
"Hate to play against him -- but would love to have him on their team," the NHLPA wrote Wednesday. "Brad Marchand's mix of skill and grit lands him as the players' top choice with more than 26% of the vote in this category, ahead of Connor McDavid in second place, followed by Tom Wilson in third.
Although Marchand long has been known to provoke the ire of his NHL opponents, it's little surprise so many also want him as a teammate. After all, his talent has made him a four-time NHL All-Star and his determination has helped Boston reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 11 of his 13 seasons with the team.
Marchand, 33, has played in the NHL long enough that no one should expect him to change his ways. Therefore there's no reason he shouldn't be in the running for this honor, and perhaps others, in next year's NHLPA Player Poll.
