Brad Marchand deserves the Tom Wilson treatment

The NHL showed they take repeat offenders seriously after suspending Tom Wilson for 20 games. But now they must address Brad Marchand. 

For years, the NHL has been awful at punishing players who break the rules. Their punishments are inconsistent and trivial. All of this changed on Wednesday, Oct. 3, when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson got suspended for 20 games. As someone with four suspensions in just over 12 months, he needed a harsh punishment after a year of lesser suspensions. While the NHL should be applauded for this, they now must address the pink elephant (rat?) in the room — Brad Marchand.

Marchand, much like Wilson, is no stranger to the Department of Player Safety. Wilson required more than a slap on the wrist because of his history. You really have to try to get suspended four times in 12 months. Not even Zac Rinaldo or Raffi Torres was able to pull that off.

Wilson’s three previous suspensions were the league’s attempt to teach him a lesson. It didn’t work, so the NHL dropped the hammer on him. Similarly, the Department of Player Safety has to seriously consider taking action against Marchand because like Wilson, he’s a repeat offender.

Let’s break down all of the supplemental discipline the NHL’s most notorious rule breaker has suffered.

• 2017-18: Fine for cross-checking, fine for embellishment, five-game suspension, told to stop licking players
• 2016-17: Fine for slew-footing, two-game suspension
• 2015-16: Fine for roughing, three-game suspension
• 2014-15: Two-game suspension
• 2011-12: Fine for slew-footing, five-game suspension
• 2010-11: Two-game suspension

That’s 11 incidents since 2010, which is by far the most in the NHL during that span, and, um, being told to stop sharing his saliva with other players. On Wednesday, Oct. 3, Marchand performed another dastardly deed.

After being offended by Lars Eller’s celebration of the Capitals’ seventh goal of the game, the diminutive wing took action. Marchand approached him on his next shift and started punching him. Eller was not a willing combatant, as he flailed trying to defend himself, leaving the “fight” bloodied. He deservedly got an instigator penalty, a fighting major, and a misconduct.

When asked about the hit, Marchand admitted it was because of Eller’s celebration. Which, honestly, wasn’t even that bad.

How could this get worse? Marchand’s own coach, Bruce Cassidy, defended his actions.

Instead of punching someone who wants no part of a fight, maybe Marchand and the Bruins should have tried not allowing seven goals. That’s a great way to ensure you don’t have to get irritated by the sight of someone having fun.

If the NHL is serious about cracking down on repeat offenders, Marchand needs to be suspended. Keep in mind he did this with just under seven minutes left. The rules dictate anyone who gets an instigator penalty with under five minutes left gets a match penalty (which is an automatic suspension). So why shouldn’t the NHL at least take a look at Marchand’s latest incident?

Should he receive supplemental discipline, this would be the 12th incident of his career. It would be his fourth since the start of the 2017-18 season (same number as Wilson) and his sixth since the start of the 2016-17 season. That’s unprecedented.

It’s clear Marchand doesn’t like playing by the rules. The league’s current way of discipling him (fines and relatively small suspensions) isn’t working. This is why cracking down on Marchand makes sense.

For the same reasons the NHL severely punished Wilson, Marchand should be next in line. If they don’t suspend him now, they’ll be doing it once he injures yet another player. And, as the old saying goes, “a stitch in time saves nine”.