Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand Exits First Preseason Game After Surgeries with Illness

BOSTON — Brad Marchand’s long-awaited return to action for the Boston Bruins was shortlived on Tuesday.
Making his preseason debut following three offseason surgeries, Marchand was not on the bench when the Bruins took the ice for the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden. Soon after, the team announced he was questionable to return with an illness.
UPDATE: Brad Marchand (illness) is questionable to return to tonight's game.
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 2, 2024
“That’s why he didn’t practice yesterday,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said following the game. “He wasn’t feeling good two days ago. When he showed up this morning, he felt good. Maybe it’s a 24-hour bug or a 12-hour bug. He’ll be fine.”
Marchand, 36, has had a slow start to training camp while recovering from operations on his elbow and abdomen over the summer. It was only last Thursday that he returned to practice with the team.
He played just 4:12 on Tuesday while skating on a line with Charlie Coyle and Morgan Geekie. He last appeared on the ice late in the first period during a Boston power play but did not take either of his final two shifts.
The Bruins were forced to shuffle their lines throughout the night once Marchand exited, as Trent Frederic, Johnny Beecher, and Mark Kastelic all logged extra minutes on the top six.
“We got a lot of people a lot of ice time,” Montgomery said. “We used people in different positions, so you get different looks when you see that. Brad Marchand doesn’t need the reps, but it would’ve been nice for the power play to see him get a couple more reps. That’s the only drawback.”
Tyler Johnson took Marchand’s spot on the first power-play unit, putting him in a position to score the game-winning goal at 7:50 of the third period with assists from Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak.
Tic Tac TJ 🚨 pic.twitter.com/RaCWxNvpdt
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 2, 2024
“It was good movement and good support all the way around,” said Johnson. “Pastrnak made a good play to Zacha and he just found me. It was a pretty easy goal that I think anyone could’ve scored.”
Kastelic and Coyle added empty-net goals to seal a 4-1 victory for Boston.
The Bruins have two more preseason games before the regular season begins. They will be off on Wednesday before traveling to Quebec City on Thursday for an exhibition against the Los Angeles Kings.