Marchand Sits 6 Games For “Unacceptable” Actions Toward Jarry

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand was given a six-game suspension by the NHL’s player safety department for his actions against Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during Tuesday’s game, the league announced Wednesday night.

The news release and an accompanying video note that Marchand is guilty of two violations, which it calls roughing (a sucker punch to Jarry’s head) and high sticking (also delivered to Jarry’s head), and outlined that his actions came “well after the conclusion of play” and that Jarry did not initiate the incident.

The league deemed Marchand’s actions “unacceptable,” and said the length of the suspension was influenced by the fact that he is a repeat offender. Once it was announced that Marchand was offered an in-person (via Zoom) hearing on the matter, it became possible that he would be benched for at least five games.

This all happened in the final minute of the Penguins’ 4-2 comeback win. Jarry and the Penguins, including coach Mike Sullivan, have declined to publicly criticize Marchand’s actions, which landed him a match penalty and ejection from the game at the time. Sullivan continued to sidestep the issue after practice Wednesday, saying that the matter was in the league’s hands.

Penguins fans, it can safely be assumed, will have a more pointed reaction to the suspension.

Marchand, of course, is no stranger to supplemental discipline despite being a top-line caliber player. This is his eighth career suspension. He has also been fined five times.

Six games seems about what we might have expected, although some were calling for more. Let us know what you think in the Comments.

Here is the news release from the NHL:

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended for six games, without pay, for roughing and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during NHL Game No. 523 in Boston on Tuesday, Feb. 8, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incidents occurred at 19:35 of the third period. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for roughing as well as a match penalty.

Marchand is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $448,170.72. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

And here is the video released by the league offering play-by-play of the incident and a further explanation of the suspension.