Reporter Claims Off-Ice “Mess” Between Pastrnak and Marchand

I won’t begin to pretend I know how plugged in this source is, but according to a report by Rich Keefe of the Jones & Keefe show, the Boston Bruins aren’t just a mess on the ice, but they’re a “disaster” off of it. During a recent show, Keefe suggested he had a scoop on what was going on between two of the team’s top stars, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. It’s a bit similar to the kind of drama coming out of Vancouver over the past several weeks.

**Updated Article: Pastrnak Refutes Report Of Off-Ice Issues With Marchand

Keefe noted:

“First of all, what we can all see is that they’re a mess on the ice, right? They’ve lost six in a row. But what I’m hearing is they’re also a mess off the ice. Apparently, the locker room is a disaster.”

He added that David Pastrnak is at the center of that and has told the team he doesn’t want to be on a line with Brad Marchand. Speculation is that it stems from Marchand calling out Pastrnak for some of his undisciplined and lazy play throughout the year.

While Pastrnak is the team’s leading scorer and a 60-goal guy, the main reason why it is a disaster inside the locker room is that he doesn’t want to play with Marchand, and they’re not playing together (outside of some power play time). Keefe said the coach doesn’t have to do everything the player says, but it appears he’s trying to split them up.

Keefe’s co-host said this kind of thing was on brand for the team as players have been called out in the past, Pastrnak a couple of times by former coach Jim Montgomery. They joked that Marchand was maybe a little mean to Pastrnak because he’d done something stupid in the defensive end or whatever else and it got called out. The hosts suggested he sometimes deserves to be called out for the plays he’s making.

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The shorthanded goal against this week was cited as one of the main reasons the Bruins have lost five in a row. “Maybe you can chalk it up as a player trying to do too much, or you can chalk it up to a player who just doesn’t care,” said Jones.

The Bruins Have Flat Out Denied Reports

** Update: Since the reports first surfaced, both Marchand and Pastrnak have denied the reports. Marchand called the report a total fabrication and brutal lie, saying it’s a shame that the reporter who didn’t fact-check or make it up will still have a job tomorrow.

🎥 Brad Marchand addressed the media following today’s #NHLBruins practice in Florida: pic.twitter.com/vPFfHM1fRv

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 10, 2025

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After Marchand and other Bruins spoke about the report, the same “insider” that made the claim posted on social media: “Now I got Marchand calling for my job? No one acts this way if the story is really false. Thanks for the confirmation.”

This has not been a good season for the Bruins, and it’s easy to see how locker-room drama can take on a life of its own in the NHL. Just look at what’s happening with the Canucks.

Does that mean a trade is coming? It could, if there were any truth to the report. It sounds like there isn’t. There was already talk of the Bruins potentially needing to make changes. But, would the Bruins really be willing to trade Pastrnak? He’s the team’s top forward.

Like in Vancouver, where J.T. Miller is a vocal leader, Marchand isn’t afraid to speak his mind in Boston. Like Elias Pettersson, the assumption here is that Pastrnak is being overly sensitive. Can these two make up and get back to trying to win hockey games?

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