Brad Marchand, born on May 11, 1988, is a Canadian hockey player and the captain of the Boston Bruins in the NHL. Marchand made his NHL debut in October 2009 and won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. Known for his on-ice antics, he is the most suspended player in NHL history when it comes to individual suspensions.
Bradley Kevin Marchand was born in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, and grew up with his parents, Kevin Marchand and Lynn Marchand. Brad is the oldest of four children, all born within a four-year span. As a junior ice hockey player, Kevin Marchand was known as a goon and a fighter, often engaging in fights nearly every game during his career. Brad began skating at the age of two and, from a young age, showed signs of being an aggressive player.
As an early teenager, he once swung his stick like a baseball bat and hit an opponent in the head. Fortunately, the opponent wore a cage, which protected him, but Marchand earned the nickname "The Tomahawk" for years to come.
Marchand was selected 24th overall by the Moncton Wildcats in the 2004 QMJHL Entry Draft. In 2006, he was drafted by the Boston Bruins, 71st overall. He played in the QMJHL through the 2007-08 season before getting a chance to prove himself in the AHL. Unlike many players, Marchand chose not to attend college and instead developed his skills through the AHL.
Brad Marchand made his NHL debut on October 21, 2009, wearing No. 63. He recorded an assist in his first game, but after failing to score a goal in his first eleven NHL games, he was sent back down to the AHL. He finished his rookie season with 20 games played, recording one assist and 20 penalty minutes.
In the following 2010-11 season, Marchand was given more trust in the lineup, starting the season on the fourth line. By the end of the season, Marchand had 41 points in 77 games. During the playoffs, Marchand moved to the first line, playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi. In the 2018-19 season, Marchand reached 100 points for the first time in his career, setting a career-high of 36 goals and 100 points in 79 games. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, with Patrice Bergeron’s retirement, Marchand was named captain of the Boston Bruins.
In the 2024-25 season, Marchand became the third player in NHL history to reach at least 20 overtime winning goals, joining Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.
Brad Marchand won two gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2007 and 2008. He has also played in one IIHF World Championship, in 2016, where Canada won gold. The same year, he was named to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey roster, leading the tournament in goals, with five. Canada went on to win gold after defeating Team Europe in the final, with Marchand scoring a short-handed goal.
Marchand has always been known as a "pest" in the NHL, recognized for playing on the edge and sometimes even crossing it. He famously licked Leo Komarov on the face in a playoff game against Toronto in 2018. Though he’s not the tallest player, standing at 5'9" and weighing 181 pounds, Marchand is known for his physicality. In player polls over the years, he has been voted the dirtiest player in the league several times, as well as the best and worst trash-talker in the NHL. After the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama dubbed Marchand the "Little Ball of Hate" when the Bruins visited the White House.
Brad Marchand married his wife, Katrina, in September 2015. The couple has two daughters, Sawyer and Rue.
Zach Hyman suffered a broken nose in a game against the Florida Panthers. When Brad Marchand was asked what it’s like playing through such an injury, he gave an amazing answer! Hockey players are a ...
Hilarious move by the Bruins!
Bruins captain got some sweet revenge!
Did he drop an F-bomb!?
Fans all said the same thing about the incident
His interaction with Montgomery had plenty of fans reacting
Things got heated on the Bruins bench
He was wild already as a 14-year-old!
Everyone is saying the exact same thing about it
Bruins fans loved this!