Think of the NHL’s top offensive names. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon are probably the first ones that come to mind at this moment in time. But let’s not forget about that ‘rat’ over in Boston, who has quietly been one of the league’s top point producers over the last six seasons.
You might not have realized that Brad Marchand is third, yes, THIRD in points over that stretch behind just McDavid and Draisaitl with 480 in 393 games (1.22 points per game). Given this stat alone, he should theoretically be a lock for the Hall of Fame… right?!
Well, not exactly.
The 33-year-old did not become a point per game player until his eighth season and has never reached 40 goals in a single campaign. He did manage to win a Stanley Cup after his first full season (2011) but hasn’t been able to capture another one since, despite making Finals appearances in both 2013 and 2019.
With only so many years left in the tank, this one could come down to the wire. Should Marchand make it despite having no significant NHL hardware to his name other than a Cup? Or should he make it alone for being one of the best offensive players in the world since the 2016-17 season? The BarDown crew discussed the topic at length and cases were made for both sides.
There are plenty of comparable members of the Hall that could be used for context, but I’m going to go with Paul Kariya. Despite a couple of Lady Byng trophies, Kariya never won any NHL hardware and finished his career with 989 points in 989 games. Marchand could end up finishing his career with similar numbers when it’s all said and done and although Kariya managed to win an Olympic gold, Marchand was a part of the 2016 Team Canada squad that captured the World Cup of hockey.
So, what do you think? Is Brad Marchand a Hall of Famer? Personally, I think there’s no doubt he is. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
