NHL Disciplines Brad Marchand for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Leafs Fans Are Loving It
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand received some punishment for his actions against the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs fans are having a field day.
It's not secret that Brad Marchand is one of the more pesky forwards in the league and doesn't have any issues getting physical, getting dirty, and using whatever he can to get an advantage.
Some call him ratty for it, but he's carved out an indelible and memorable career; not to mention very successful.
But it's his actions against the Sabres on Saturday that are drawing eyes, and it wasn't just your typical play.
Marchand decided to have a go with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and ended up taking his helmet off...and right to the penalty box where he decided to rip off his helmet straps and tossing the bucket to the ground.
NHL Hands Brad Marchand $5,000 Fine for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Well, the NHL Player Safety Department didn't take too kindly to that and decided to award Marchand a punishment of a $5,000 fine for his unsportsmanlike conduct.
It isn't the first time Marchand has been fined, accumulating over $1-million over his career and being suspended over a half dozen times for various reasons be it slew-footing, sucker punching opponents or "errant" elbows that catch their foe.
It just helps his reputation as a dirty and greasy player, and while fans hate it (as they should at times), there's no arguing that he has used it to great success, but it's not like he's a one trick pony.
Marchand has 986 points in 1,107 games, is a 4x All-Star and has won two Stanley Cups, not to mention his 158 playoff points; he's been a superstar for over a decade.
Leafs Fans Weigh In on the NHL's Decision
Maple Leafs fans are having a field day too:
Marchand has always drawn the ire of Maple Leafs fans, and while the Sabres certainly never liked him, they have a whole new reason to funnel their hatred towards the Florida forward.
Some even believe that the Player Safety Department has transformed into the "Panthers Safety Department":
While he grew up a Maple Leafs fan as a kid, he's done everything in his power to make sure the team stays out of the Stanley Cup picture, and there were potential rumblings of him coming over but he decided to stick with the Panthers.
Probably best case scenario for them too considering they are missing Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, as well as defenseman Dmitry Kulikov; they need as much help as they can get.
Perhaps it was Marchand getting shutout by Buffalo that made him snap, or maybe it's another case of Brad being Brad.
Either way, he's a little lighter in the wallet, even if fans wished it was a heavier punishment.
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