Marchand adds new contract to big World Cup showing at Crosby’s side

TORONTO — Brad Marchand wasn’t among the first 16 players named to Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster because the team’s brass wanted to avoid a controversy.

Even though everyone involved in the selection process had Marchand on their initial lists, Canada’s decision-makers knew that nobody would be surprised by his omission. Excluding a player with more star power might have caused an unnecessary controversy, so Team Canada’s brass opted to wait until late May to name Marchand to the roster. 

“We knew it wasn’t going to be a big story if Brad wasn’t on the (first) list and we knew he was going to make the team,” said Canadian general manager Doug Armstrong. “But to remove one of those (other) 16 you’re sort of creating something that doesn’t need to be created. But he was on everyone’s roster right from the get-go.”

Marchand has been the most pleasant surprise for Canada at the World Cup, a seamless fit alongside Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron on the team’s top line. The 28-year-old, who signed an eight-year, US$49-million deal with the Boston Bruins on Monday morning, has rung up five points, including a pair of key goals in a semifinal win against Russia over the weekend.

Posting a career-high 37 goals and 60 points last season for the Bruins, Marchand didn’t want to discuss his new contract ahead of the best-of-three final with Europe, preferring to keep the focus on Canada and their quest for a title.

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The Halifax native will remain central to those efforts, his connection with Crosby and Bergeron causing fits for foes at the World Cup. Armstrong has been pleasantly surprised by quickly “synergy” has developed between Marchand and Crosby in particular.

The Canadian captain set up both of Marchand’s goals against the Russians and had the second assist on his first goal of the tournament against the Czech Republic.

Familiarity between the two developed well before the tournament.

Skating alongside Crosby during the off-season, Marchand also attended the Pittsburgh captain’s annual late-summer camp with Bergeron, his long-time Bruins linemate. The duo joined a line with Crosby in what turned out to be a preview of things to come. Marchand said the experience offered him insight into how quickly Crosby processed the game and how best to react as a linemate.

“He just reads the game and executes at such a high level and so quickly that you do need to react a little differently,” Marchand said. “It did take a bit of time, but I feel like we’re getting a little more comfortable out there every day and things are going are all right.”

Their synergy was apparent against the Russians.

With Canada trailing 2-1 late in the second period of the weekend clash, Crosby grabbed a loose puck that defenceman Andrei Markov couldn’t quite corral. He slung it across the ice to a waiting Marchand, who slipped a shot past Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

The goal tied the game 2-2 and unclenched any apparent tension for Canada after Russia stormed in front 72 seconds earlier.

Then, mere moments into the third, Marchand took a Crosby drop pass and whistled another shot past Bobrovsky’s glove for a lead that stood the rest of the way.

Crosby, who leads the World Cup in scoring with seven points, said the connection with Marchand and Bergeron (four points) has proven effective because all three worked hard to force turnovers.

“But I think just the way he competes every shift you know that he’s able to generate a lot sometimes from nothing,” Crosby said of Marchand over the weekend.

Head coach Mike Babcock has said Crosby fits best with smart, speedy players who hound the puck, all boxes Marchand checks.

The 71st overall pick of the 2006 draft, Marchand has managed at least 20 goals five times in five full seasons with Boston (he had 18 goals in the 48-game season), doing so with minimal power-play time. In fact, his 66 even-strength goals since the start of the 2013-14 season lands him in the same ballpark as more reputed scorers like Crosby (69), Patrick Kane (69), Phil Kessel (68) and John Tavares (67).

Marchand, also an effective penalty killer, has emerged as more than just an agitator for the Bruins, who are nonetheless betting big on the eight-year deal ($6.125 million cap hit). Marchand, only five foot nine and less than 200 pounds, plays a punishing physical style and may not wear well with age.

Questions about the contract would have to wait though.

“It’s a place that I’m very excited about being for the next number of years and potentially my whole career,” Marchand said of Boston. “But right now I’m here and I want the focus to be here. This is where I’m at.”

Jonas Siegel, The Canadian Press