BOSTON — The scoreboard video honoring the “Lunch Pail A.C.” Bruins before Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers showed the players of that era climbing into the Madison Square Garden stands to fight fans.
It showed John Weinsick challenging anyone or everyone on the North Stars bench to come out and tangle with him and about a dozen fights. When they even honored the legends from that time before the game Saturday, they came out of the penalty box.
That era (1977-83) featured good Bruins hockey teams, but they were defined by being among the toughest and most capable fighting teams of all time. It’s a reputation they embraced then and still do. They were honored as part of the Bruins’ Centennial Season Celebration on Saturday.
Stan Jonathan, who is one of the best pound-for-pound hockey pugilists in history and Weinsick were each asked which members of the current Bruins could have fit in with those teams.
Jonathan picked Brad Marchand.
“Marchand for sure. He’s a physical player and is under everybody’s skin like we played,” Jonathan said.
Marchand was honored by Jonathan’s comments.
“You see the type of game that they played. … It’s all guys we look up to and still to this day talk about. They built the culture and the foundation of this organization that we still try to uphold today,” Marchand said. “When you have them around it’s pretty special. That’s a big compliment. I really appreciate it.”
Marchand was asked whether he’d have wanted to play in those days. He declined even before the reporter was done asking the question.
“Nope,” he said.
Why?
“I wouldn’t be around very long. Those guys are brutes,” he said. “That was a whole different type of game. You had to be a different type of tough to play in that era. They’re fun to watch.”
But then he reconsidered a little recalling Mike Millbury beating a fan with his own shoe in the stands at Madison Square Garden.
“It would be fun to be able to go up and fight fans,” Marchand said smiling. “Anything goes. That would have been fun for sure.”
Weinsick, who lives in St. Louis, has known Trent Frederic, who is from the Missouri metropolis since Frederic was a youth. Weinsick was fond of him then and thinks he could have played in the ol’ days.
“I love the kid. He’s a St. Louis kid. I actually coached him in the Quebec Pee Wee Tournament. I love way he plays,” Weinsick said. “His family is a top notch family. I pull for him a lot.”
Frederic had a goal and a fight shortly after Weinsick made his comments. He said it’s hard to picture the Weinsick he knows challenging a team to fight like that.
“He’s an awesome guy. It’s funny to know that that’s how he played because he’s a really nice guy,” Frederic said.
