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Brad Marchand Injury: Out Indefinitely

ByRyan Ritchie|

Bruins F Brad Marchand Injury Update: Out Indefinitely

The Boston Bruins Brad Marchand is out indefinitely with a concussion. It was sustained during Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Marchand took an elbow to the head by Montreal’s Dale Weise in the third period. He did not return to the game.

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The good news for the Bruins is that defenseman Zdeno Chara returned to action Monday afternoon versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.

CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty pinpointed the play where Marchand got hurt in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Montreal. 

"Brad Marchand and defenseman Matt Irwin were both missing from the Ristuccia Arena ice for Sunday’s practice. Marchand was forced out of the Habs loss in the third period. He was caught with an inadvertent elbow to the head from Montreal grinder forward Dale Weise.It doesn’t take much of medical leap to assume that the Bruins’ agitator might have sustained his second career concussion in the NHL. Sure enough, Bruins coach Claude Julien confirmed as much after practice. There is no timetable as of yet for his return to the lineup."

If the Brad Marchand injury keeps him out for any lengthy period of time, it could be disastrous for the Boston Bruins.  It would be hard to replace one the league’s most effective pests.

Said Big Bad Blog via Puck Daddy:

"As Boston’s leading goal-scorer in two of the last three seasons, he would be a major piece for Boston to lose for any period of time."

The 27-year-old Marchand is one of the team’s core players. The Bruins were counting on him to maintain some level of stability after a summer that saw the team trade stalwarts Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton.

Marchand has scored 21 goals or more in each of his full seasons. In 45 games in the 2012-13 lockout-shortened year he notched 18 scores.

Hockey Canada website: great information and resource for concussions in hockey

Mar 31, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) controls the puck during the second period against the Florida Panthers at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

“Because of the contact nature of the game and the speed with which it is played, the brain is vulnerable to injury. Trauma may occur through direct contact to the head or face or indirectly through a whiplash effect.”

“Injuries to the brain are characterized by an altered state of consciousness. It is the altered state of consciousness that is the key thing to look for with any head injury.”

“A concussion is a common injury. But since they cannot be detected on x-rays or CT scans, they have been difficult to fully investigate and understand. Fortunately, there have been many important advances in our knowledge of concussions. Including how to identify, manage and recover from a concussion.” 

“Although concussions are often referred to as ‘mild traumatic head injuries’ and often resolve uneventfully, ALL concussions have the potential for serious and long-lasting symptoms and so must be treated carefully and in consultation with a physician.”

Final Thoughts

Concussion research is constantly evolving, and we try to evolve our games with that knowledge to better keep players safe. Unfortunately, it is not something that could ever be eradicated from the game. The risk of concussion exists whether hockey has contact or not. Accidents happen when you mix skates, sticks, and a solid ice surface.

The “out indefinitely” tag for the Brad Marchand injury is a common one for concussions. Each person reacts differently to them. Past history can come into play. The nature of how hard the impact, or what particular area of the head are all factors that effect. The hope is that Marchand’s second concussion only causes him to miss minimum time. He is an integral part to the Bruins success.

GM Don Sweeney had an odd offseason to say the least trading Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton. Missing core player Brad Marchand for any extended period of time would hurt severely.

If the Bruins slip too far down the standings and are unable recover by the trade deadline, there could be major movement in Boston. Not likely a re-build but more of a re-tooling to get younger. That would mean moving veterans such as Zdeno Chara. The timing might be perfect for a new direction in goal. Trading Tuukka Rask and moving forward with Malcolm Subban is a viable option.

For the sake of the Bruins and for the love of the game, its hopeful that Brad Marchand can return to action as soon as possible.

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