BROSSARD, Quebec — From rival combatants to teammates to linemates, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett have come a long way in a week.
At media day for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off on Tuesday, Marchand and Bennett both said the history between them is in the past. Marchand bears to ill-will toward Bennett for the sucker punch that put Marchand in concussion protocol for two games during the second-round series between the Bruins and Panthers in the 2024 NHL Playoffs.
Canada coach Jon Cooper must have believed them. Bennett was a healthy scratch on Thursday, but Cooper is inserting him into the lineup for Saturday’s 8 p.m. game against Team USA on a line with Brad Marchand and Seth Jarvis. That trio might go down as one of the most irritating lines to play against in international hockey history.
Marchand said so far, so good.
“(Bennett) plays very hard. Very skilled. Great patience,” Marchand said. “He plays the game the right way, all 200 feet. He’s a great asset to the team. I’m looking forward to playing with him.”
Was there any discussion about their spring incident?
“I just said ‘I‘m not passing him the puck,’” Marchand said smiling. “We were just joking around. Stuff happens out there. Whatever happens out there you just let it go. We’re just fighting for the same goal. I like the way we practiced together. I like the way Sam plays. He’s a competitor. He plays the right way. He’s very physical, but he’s very skilled as well. Should be good.”
On Valentine’s Day, Bennett returned the love.
“Look, that’s hockey,” he said. “You are going to have rivals when you have intense playoff games. And he’s been nothing but great to me since I’ve been here. He’s a super, super guy and I’m excited to play with him. It’s going to be nice to have him on my side tomorrow night.”
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