Canada Coach Mike Babcock High on Brad Marchand
Typically, a game of word association involving Brad Marchand might yield such pleasantries as agitator, pest, rat, or maybe even snake in the grass.
For those counting, Marchand has been suspended four times (and fined once more) for crossing the line during his seven-year NHL career.
Yet in the eyes of Canadian World Cup coach Mike Babcock, he’s the perfect left winger for captain Sidney Crosby. Babcock is so confident of success in a trio of Crosby, Marchand and fellow Boston Bruin Patrice Bergeron that he chose to sit the captain during Saturday’s 5-2 exhibition win over the USA at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Excuse Marchand if he’s pinching himself due to the dream assignment.
“I feel pretty good, considering everything that’s going on,” says Marchand, who generally stayed out of trouble in the intense back-to-back games against the Americans on the weekend.”
