After it was reported yesterday that Brad Marchand would be making his return to the ice earlier than expected, many fans wondered when precisely that would be. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery was vague as he gave a timetable that just involved sometime before thanksgiving but ruled out Marchand for tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings and tomorrow’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
That has now all changed as reports have surfaced today indicating the Bruins will have Brad Marchand back on the ice tonight as multiple insiders have confirmed the news.
This is massive news for the Bruins, who have started the season on fire as they have jumped out to a 6-1-0 record which is good for first in the NHL. An already potent offense just got one of their best players back in the lineup to aid in their quest for another Stanley Cup.
While many may see this as Marchand rushing back into action, there will still be precautions put in place to limit his return and ease him back. The last thing the Bruins organization and training staff want is to rush back a star player. In the meantime, Marchand will not be allowed to suit up for back-to-back games as he works his way back to full game speed and works out any soreness that is destined to come.
With his return to the lineup, Montgomery will again have to juggle his lineups as the Bruins will have an odd man out. There have been a few surprises in the bottom six to start the season as both Nick Foligno and A.J. Greer have been electric as they both have three goals a piece. At the same time, others, such as Trent Frederic and Craig Smith, have been lacking on the offensive end.
According to Connor Ryan, the projected lineups for tonight’s game are Greer will be the one getting bumped, and Smith will be sliding into a fourth-line role as Pavel Zacha takes over the right wing spot on the third line.
Puck drop for tonight’s game will be at 7 PM EST as the Bruins take on the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden for an original six matchup. The game will be aired on NESN and the Bruins are the favorite with the Bruins ML sitting at -225.
