Marchand Fined The Max For ‘Dangerous Trip’ On Bjorkstrand

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand has been fined $5,000 for a ‘dangerous trip’ on Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand in the third period of his team’s 6-5 win Thursday night.

Here’s the official press release from the NDPS:

‘Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for a dangerous trip against Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand during NHL Game No. 927 in Seattle on Thursday, Feb. 23, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.’

Late in the third period (14:22) of the see-saw affair between the Boston Bruins and the Kraken, Marchand and Bjorkstrand got into it as the whistle blew. Marchand took Bjorkstrand down with what easily could’ve been deemed a slewfoot – and not a ‘dangerous trip’ – and resulted in a suspension for the veteran Bruins winger who has been suspended for slew-footing twice before. Instead he, in the opinion of this puck scribe, lucked out and wound up with a cross-checking minor and the fine.

Brad Marchand has been fined $5,000 for a dangerous trip against Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand, via @NHLPlayerSafety.pic.twitter.com/UBO92myJuJ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 24, 2023

Marchand’s last suspension was actually a slewfoot. On Nov. 29, 2021, Marchand received a three-game suspension for slew-footing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

That was Marchand’s seventh suspension and his second for slew-footing. The first came in 2015 on then-New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard. Brad Marchand has also been suspended twice for elbowing (two games and five games), two games for spearing, three games for clipping, and five games for a low-bridge hit. Brad Marchand has now had to pay $29,500 in fines for the previous infractions since entering the league in the 2009-10 season:

2011-12: $2,500 for slew-footing Matt Niskanen
2015-16: $5,000 for roughing Gabriel Landeskog
2016-17: $10,000 for tripping Niklas Kronwall
2017-18: $2,000 for diving, $5,000 for cross-checking Andrew MacDonald

On the bright side, Marchand did finish with a goal and an assist, six shots and was a plus 3 in the win over the Seattle Kraken. The 34-year-old winger now has 18 goals and 33 assists in 49 games this season.