On Monday night, another player was subject to yet another brutal Brad Marchand hit. Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Andrew Peeke was hit up high by Marchand and laid still on the ice for a few minutes before finally being able to get back up. Hits are a part of the game of hockey; there’s no denying that. In fact, many fans think that they are the most fun part of the game (behind the fights of course). However, in a world with ever-evolving views on player safety issues and CTE research, I feel it is necessary that the hits must be clean, at the least.
Brad Marchand is a repeat offender within the NHL. He has been suspended a total of eight times by the Department of Player Safety, making him the player with the most suspensions in NHL history. His most recent suspension was on February 24th, as he was suspended six games for roughing and punching unsuspecting Pittsburgh goaltender, Tristan Jarry. At this point, Marchand’s actions are no longer defendable. He makes gutless, senseless plays that constantly injure other players. It is also concerning that after being suspended and fined so many times for his dangerous play, he continues to act this way. A suspension is supposed to teach players a lesson, but Marchand came back and hit Peeke less than a month after his last suspension.
Most hits in hockey are routine and classified as a “clean hit.” They happen when a player has possession of the puck or is positioned against the boards in a way that a defensive player can hit his body to try and knock him off the puck. However, a hit can quickly be deemed dirty if said player goes out of his way to injure the other player. For example, body on body contact is allowed, however a hit up high to a defenseless player’s head is penalty worthy. A player can also not leave his feet or jump up when making contact. He must skate into him. This measure is also to prevent unnecessary hits to the head. However, despite these rules, Brad Marchand did both of these things during his hit on Peeke, which can be seen in the linked video below.
Here's a look at Brad Marchand's hit on Andrew Peeke: pic.twitter.com/kUBiS4ge0w
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) April 4, 2022
Marchand was not penalized for the hit during the game. I am not sure if the referee wasn’t paying attention or if it was a blatant no-call, but it was definitely penalty worthy. In fact, “Brad Marchand” quickly became trending on Twitter immediately after the hit. Fans were furious that the hit wasn’t called as a penalty, and many were just voicing their general dislike of Marchand as a player. The following Tweet from Twitter user @_rantanen_ effectively summarizes how most NHL fans felt after seeing the hit.
how many suspensions is it going to take for people to realize brad marchand is a continuous offender and is getting people seriously hurt. idc how good he plays, if you’re doing this shit as often as he is, you shouldn’t be playing hockey
— x – dani⁹⁶ (@_rantanen_) April 5, 2022
After new, recent research highlighting the effects of CTE and the toll that head injuries from hockey take on a player’s body, it is more important than ever for the Department of Player Safety to ensure hits like these do not take place. Some are calling for Marchand’s complete ban from the league. This seems like a drastic measure, and it is definitely a controversial decision. However, I do believe for sure that the DoPS should look into this hit and have a hearing with Brad Marchand. While this will likely only result in another suspension, I do believe it is important for the league to put their foot down and let others know that these types of hits will not be tolerated anymore.