It's a good thing everything worked out for Boston Bruins star winger Brad Marchand on the ice.
That's because for Marchand, a career on the diamond never seemed to be in the cards.
With the Bruins set to play at the venerable Fenway Park when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins next Monday in the 2023 Winter Classic, several members of the team shared their baseball experiences with Matt Porter of The Boston Globe.
Like many of his teammates, Marchand told a humorous story of what he was like as a middle-school pitcher in Nova Scotia.
"I had a fastball," Marchand told Porter. "I'd throw it as hard as I could. Spray and pray.
"I hit a lot of kids. Might have been on purpose. Might not."
That certainly sounds like Marchand, who has grown a reputation as an instigator in the NHL.
Marchand won't be able to take the mound at Fenway, even for just some fun, prior to the contest with the Penguins with the makeshift rink covering up the hill.
This is the fourth time the Bruins have participated in the Winter Classic since its inception in 2008. The last time the Bruins played in the marquee event came in 2019 when they went up against the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium.
Boston hosted the 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium -- Marchand didn't play in that one due to a suspension -- and it returns to Fenway after holding the Winter Classic there in 2010.
