Moms Trip An Opportunity for B's to Give Back

BOSTON - Brad Marchand has been in the National Hockey League for well over a decade. Now in his 11th season with the Black & Gold, the 31-year-old winger has accomplished plenty, including a Stanley Cup championship, two All-Star appearances, and four consecutive 30-plus goal seasons.
Despite all of those accolades, there is still plenty of room for growth. And his mother, Lynn, makes sure to let him know it.
"She still texts me before every game and tells me what to do out there," Marchand said with a smile on Monday afternoon at Warrior Ice Arena. "She's a coach behind the scenes too and [she's] watched a ton of hockey…my dad's always been a coach and one of my coaches.
"She hears a lot of what he tells me to do. She likes to reiterate that. She's pretty bang on when she's sending her message or giving her pointers, but…sometimes I have to tell her to settle down and just enjoy it and have fun."

Mrs. Marchand will have the opportunity to do just that this week as part of the Bruins Moms Trip that began with Monday's practice and will continue during the team's journey to Nashville for Tuesday night's tilt with the Predators.
And while having fun will be the moms' priority, Marchand knows that he'll still have to be prepared for some in-person pointers.
"She's still intense," said Marchand. "She's still one of the moms up there that my dad has to quiet her down and tell her to stop yelling. Very intense, always very dedicated…she was often the taxi driver for myself and my friends and my brother getting to our games. Very dedicated, very loud - she's very lippy, that's where I get it from."

For some of the Bruins' veterans, it's the second time their moms have been along for a road game, after the inaugural Moms Trip to Pittsburgh in 2017. The Bruins' dads also tagged along to Nashville in 2018.
"It's fun. Definitely breaks up the season a little bit, a little more energy in the building," said Torey Krug, whose mom, Cheryl, is along with him. "It will be exciting to have them come on the flight and go through practice…it will be good to have them by our sides again. They have been there with us our whole lives."
It is that sacrifice - the early wake-up calls, the hours-long drives, and the freezing cold rinks - that makes an experience like this one that much more special and provides an opportunity for the B's to share their success with the people who influenced them the most.
"It means a lot," said Anders Bjork, whose mother, Patricia, is taking part in her first Moms Trip. "Her and my dad are the most influential people in my life - been there through a lot. It's special for me to have her out here and see my life, especially with how much she's helped me since my pro career started.
"With the [shoulder] injuries that I had, she came out both years when I had surgery and stayed with me for two weeks or so and dropped everything with her life back home. She's been a huge influence in my life. I'm glad she can hopefully have some fun and see how things are around here."

Mrs. Bjork was also looking forward to bonding with her fellow hockey mothers - around 20 are on the trip, along with Charlie Coyle's sister Jessica - over those shared experiences.
"I'm so excited to be here," she said. "It's just great to meet all the moms and the players up close…I've already talked to some moms and we're all on the same page and so excited for our children and all their accomplishments, but also share in all of the challenges of each of the athletes and their families. It's been very nice to make new friends."
And for the players like Marchand who are now parents themselves, it's an opportunity to appreciate a bit more what their mothers have done to help them achieve their dreams.
"Once you go through it and see how difficult it can be and how much time you have to dedicate to sports and activities, you have a much deeper appreciation for what our parents did for us," explained Marchand, now a father to Sloane and Sawyer.
"It makes us much more appreciative now than I think I was as a kid. It's an opportunity for us to show that and be thankful for them."