Emotional Marchand Reflects as he Hits 1,000-Game Milestone

BOSTON – For years, Brad Marchand set a target.

As he looked to establish himself as a staple in the National Hockey League, the 1,000-game milestone was a goal he sought to attain. It was a way for him to stay motivated and engaged in his journey.

But as the years passed and that grand achievement seemed like a fait accompli, he began to filter the 1,000-game plateau out of his mind.

“To be completely honest with you, I kind of stopped looking at this a couple of years ago,” Marchand said following the B’s 3-2 shootout loss to Tampa Bay. “It was something that I wanted to hit until I realized that I was going to achieve it…barring getting an injury that would keep me out in my career. But the way I've always kind of worked is set a goal that seems unattainable at the time, then I work to achieve it, and once this one became in sight, then I set bigger goals…

“There's a work in progress. It's something I wanted to achieve but again, there's bigger goals and dreams and hopes team-wise and personally as well. So, it is incredible, but once you start thinking you've achieved anything, that's when you know you're going to get knocked in the face and get pulled back down, so it's always about the next thing.”

As he stood on the blue line during the national anthem on Tuesday night, however, Marchand couldn’t help but appreciate the moment and reflect on his journey from fourth-line pest to potential future Hall of Famer. The emotion in his eyes as Todd Angilly belted out the Star-Spangled Banner in a darkened TD Garden was evident.

“I was [emotional],” said Marchand, who joined Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk, Patrice Bergeron, Don Sweeney, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, and Wayne Cashman as the eighth Bruin to hit the 1,000-game mark with the club.

“I really kind of tried to block a lot of it out of my mind for the game. I just tried to stay focused in the moment, but it's something that I've gone through, a lot of these moments with Bergy, Krech, and Zee. And it’s one of the things I remember that they did. They tried to just take it in and remember the moment, and that was kind of an opportunity to do that.”

At the first television timeout, the emotion came flooding back as a video montage of his career played on the big screen and the TD Garden crowd rose to its feet for a rousing standing ovation in recognition of No. 63.

“Yeah, it’s special,” said Marchand. “I know how fortunate I am to be part of this organization, and one organization for my whole career up to this point. That's part of what I love so much about being here, how much the fans care and how much they embrace the team. It’s really special.

“And it flies by…you really have to enjoy every day and make the most of every moment, you never know when it's going to be the last. I just can't believe how fast it's already gone. It’s something you want to make last forever, but we all get a shelf life.

“To look back on it and see some of those memories, it's very special. You don't get to remember every day, but [this] one I’ll remember forever.”

Before the game, Marchand’s son, Sloane, and middle daughter, Sawyer, were waiting for him on the bench after warmups. When he realized his children were there, Marchand circled back and picked up two pucks to hand to them as mementoes of the evening.

They then surprised their dad by reading the starting lineup for the players in the Bruins dressing room.

“There’s moments, things that have happened throughout the night, that you do get to try to embrace, like my kids were here before the game for the lineup, which is special. They’ve been with me all day,” said Marchand. “And the montage, looking back on it all, it is a very special thing. It’s not something that everybody gets to do.

“So as much as I was trying to block it out and just focus on the game, I was trying to bounce back and forth and just be grateful for the moment, because it is really special.”

Marchand, as he has so many times over the years, did have plenty of focus toward the task at hand as he dragged his team into the fight after the Bruins fell into a 2-0 deficit. The winger helped guide the Black & Gold to a point with two primary assists in the second period, the first on Charlie McAvoy’s tally from the high slot and the second on James van Riemsdyk’s putback of Marchand’s rebound from the top of the crease while on a delayed penalty.

“It’s no accident why he’s been as successful as he’s been for his career,” said van Riemsdyk, who himself is just 11 games short of the 1,000-game mark. “You see him climbing [the Bruins’ all-time ranks], passing some impressive names in the Bruins’ record books. That’s pretty cool to see and see behind the curtain for some of that.

“We’ve had some nice battles over the years, but it’s nice to be on the same team as him. He’s definitely a fierce competitor and I’m happy to share the ice with him on the same side.”

With his two helpers, Marchand became the seventh player in franchise history to notch a point in his 1,000th NHL game, joining Krejci (0-3—3 on Jan. 16, 2023), Bergeron (2-0—2 on Feb. 5, 2019), Dave Ellett (0-1—1 on March 1, 1998), Gordie Roberts (0-1—1 on Dec. 9, 1992), Jean Ratelle (1-1—2 on March 23, 1977), and Johnny Bucyk (2-4—6 on Dec. 10, 1970).

“It's just…that's Brad Marchand, right?” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “We talked before the game about honoring him with effort, emotion in our game tonight because no one has more effort, emotion, or loves being a Bruin more than Brad Marchand.”

Marchand nearly wrote a storybook ending when he took a feed from David Pastrnak in overtime and ripped one toward a yawning cage. The Hockey Gods were not cooperating, however, as Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy sprawled to make a brilliant stop.

“He made an incredible save,” said Marchand. “That's why he's one of the goalies in the league. His compete levels every night and I thought I put him in a great spot to get it but now it just shows why he's one of the best.”

Fortunately for Marchand, his story is still being written. And despite the 35-year-old hitting the 1,000-game mark, he doesn’t see an end in sight.

“You know, that's to be seen,” Marchand said when if he envisions himself playing into his 40s like Chara and Mark Recchi. “The way I kind of feel about that is as long as my body is holding up and I can compete at a high level, then, yes. We’re very fortunate to play this game and to do what you do. We live a lot of kids’ dreams. I live my dream every day.

“I get to play this game and allow my kids to see me play the game and do what I love and be a role model for them and show them that if they put their mind to it and they work hard, they can achieve anything.

“I wouldn't want to walk away from that for them. There's a long time between now and then, and there's a lot of things that I want to do before then, so we'll see. We’ll see every year that goes by.”

What Marchand does know for sure is that he aims to carry on the legacy of the likes of Chara, Recchi, Bergeron, and Krejci every day he’s steps foot in the rink donning the Spoked-B.

“You'd be a fool to not try to follow in their footsteps,” said Marchand. “I also saw how proud they were to be part of this organization. I knew how proud I was to be part of this team, and I never wanted to leave, and the best way you can do that is to make sure you leave your heart and soul on the ice every single day.”