I saw Marchand playing with Sobotka down in Providence. Never thought he's be what he's become. A real credit to his hard work.
I was a ST holder back then. I remember his 1st home game. I knew nothing about him, but this little #12 wearing a cage immediately looked like the best skater I’d seen in Providence. I remember seeing hI’m at the skate with the players party and couldn’t believe that I had a couple of inches on him. I’m barely 5’10. I figured they’d never give him a chance. The next year my son won a ST raffle and got to pick a player to have lunch with. He picked Marchand. He was just back from his 1st cup of coffee with the varsity and was nursing an injury He absolutely could not have been better with my son. McQuaid was also there with another kid and he was tremendous as well. He was also just back from Boston and his face was all marked up and his hands a mess from fighting.
I didn’t want to take time from my 8YO son, so I hung back. I did get to ask him a question at the end. “Why to you play the way you do when you got your skills”. His answer was pretty straight forward. He learned early on that if he wanted to see the ice he had to play that role. He had to do things other guys wouldn’t to separate himself. I think he said basically the same think in one of the NESN docs. My son was always the smallest kid on every team and Brad told him to never let anyone outwork him and if he does that size won’t matter. Made a gigantic impression on my son and he always followed that advice. He wore 17 which was Marchand’s number that year and got it every year it was available, except for one summer he wore 63.
HOF’er in my book already. I think McDavid will run away with the Hart, but it’ll be a crime if Marchy isn’t a finalist.