Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on The FAN Hockey Show Friday when asked about Boston Bruins pending UFA forward Brad Marchand and how the Bruins might be a little concerned about term.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Justin Cuthbert: “If this thing is spiraling out of control, maybe., and long-term investments, not the play. But if they did sign Brad Marchand, do you think it would help matters?
Friedman: “I always, like the thing is like, I always do. It depends like, what is, like it’s easy to say, like in a vacuum. Of course, I think it helps matters if you sign Marchand.
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But the one thing I think about him is, I think he’s like, I think he’s pretty good about turning down the temperature on things. Like, we saw it this week. We saw it like, right with the beginning of the training camp when he talked about Swayman, and he’s like, we’ll get this over with soon, and can’t wait for it. He says, my stuff will never be in the media.
So it’s a bit harder with him. But I, to me the probable issue here, and I don’t know 100% Justin, but the probable issue here is term. You know, Marchhand is a guy who’s like, he’s a peddler, like he can play for me anytime. His body’s been through a lot. And, you know, I could just see the Bruins being careful about that.
But I would assume, like it would surprise me if that didn’t get done just because he’s their Captain, he’s a Bruin, and he identifies so much with them.”
Mike Futa: “Hey, friedge, that’s kind of what I was alluding to. I’m not that he, it’s bothering him. I just feel that when this, all this noise and these self-inflicted wounds and a non Bruin-like situation, I think him being the player he is, it might cool, and I think he you’re exact, right, he cools things down on his own and doesn’t play it up.
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But if something like that were to quietly get done, I think internally, it would help. It would help. It would help where the Bruins are at, especially coming off Swayman-Gate and stuff like that,