Marchand: Injuring opponents ‘part of playoffs’
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand said Sam Bennett “got away with one” when he struck Marchand’s head in Game 3, but that opponents seeking to injure each other is just a part of playoff hockey.
“People don’t want to say it, but part of playoffs is trying to hurt every player on the other team. The more guys you take out, the more advantage your team has,” said Marchand, speaking for the first time after leaving Game 3 against the Florida Panthers with an injury.
“Every time you step on the ice, someone is trying to hurt someone. That’s just how it goes in the playoffs. That’s part of the benefit of having a physical group. That’s why you rarely see teams that are small and skilled go far. Because they get hurt,” he said.
Marchand missed the past two games of the series, with the Bruins losing Game 4 but avoiding elimination with a Game 5 win in Sunrise, Florida. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night in Boston, with Florida leading the series 3-2.
Coach Jim Montgomery was hopeful that Marchand could return to the Bruins for Game 6 but stressed that his captain has “got boxes to check” before being cleared for the game. He’s officially day-to-day with an upper-body injury. One encouraging sign for Marchand and Boston: He took regular line rushes and was on the first power-play unit in practice Thursday.
The Bruins would welcome him back, as Marchand has 10 points in 10 games (3 goals, 7 assists), tied for the team lead in scoring with Jake DeBrusk.
Marchand’s injury might have resulted from a controversial play involving Bennett. As Marchand went to hit Bennett near the benches, Bennett appeared to throw a gloved punch with his right hand as they made contact. Bennett has denied throwing a punch.
“I’m trying to brace myself. There’s no way I would have had time to think about punching him in the face like everyone,” he said after Game 4.
Marchand called Bennett “an extremely physical player” who does great work for the Panthers. Bennett wasn’t penalized on the play and did not receive any supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
“I think he got away with a shot. But I’m not going to complain. S— happens. That’s part of playoff hockey, I’ve been on the other side of a lot of plays,” Marchand said.
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Kristen Shilton
The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.
Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.
Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.
The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.
Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.
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Ryan S. Clark
Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.
Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.
He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.
Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.
It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.
That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.
But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.
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