Marchand Makes Surprise Return To Bruins Practice

If you’re a Boston Bruins and New England Patriots fan, it was a pretty good weekend for you!

It was most definitely a Sunday Funday for both fan bases as the day after the Boston Bruins won their season opener 6-3 over the Arizona Coyotes at a sold out TD Garden, Bruins winger Brad Marchand made a surprise appearance at Bruins practice and participated in rush drills and 2-on-2’s and then the New England Patriots beat the Cleveland Browns 38-15.

By all accounts from media in attendance at Bruins practice, and Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, the “Little Ball of Hate’ was getting in the muck and looking like the skilled, pesky winger that has become one of the Top 5 wingers in the game the last five seasons.

“He was hunting pucks and hitting people,” Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after practice. “That first drill’s not even supposed to be any contact. Somehow, he found a way to get contact in.”

🎥 Coach Montgomery on Brandon Carlo, who suffered an upper-body injury last night against Arizona: "He's better today than we were expecting. We're hopeful. But he's still not ready to play." pic.twitter.com/8cn826ArYy

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 16, 2022

Marchand was asked about that and wasn’t ashamed to admit he took full advantage of Montgomery and his staff to both run a practice and keep a watchful eye on an injured player like Marchand working his way back into game action.

“But it’s hard for them to control me when I’m out there,” Marchand quipped.

Marchand acknowledged that while he may be ahead of schedule a bit physically, the mental part of rehabbing is still hard and that’s why it was nice to get on the ice with the team.

“I feel really good. Today was more of a mental victory than anything,” Marchand said. “It’s been a long four months, and it was going to be an easy practice for the guys. I begged them enough to let me jump in there with them.”

🎥 Brad Marchand on skating with the team during Sunday's #NHLBruins practice: "I feel really good. Today was more of a mental victory than anything. It's been a long four months." pic.twitter.com/G9zxcZsb2E

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 16, 2022

The plan going forward this week is for Marchand to take part in the morning skates with his Boston Bruins teammates and stay on schedule for what is till hopefully a return to game action around American Thanksgiving.