John Tavares reveals Brad Marchand's locker room 'energy', draws parallels to $65,418,000 Leafs teammate

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares opened up about his experience playing with Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand describing the energy that Marchand brings to the team.

Tavares discussed his impressions of Marchand following Tuesday’s practice during his media availability. When reporters asked Tavares about Marchand and Leafs teammate Mitch Marner being on the same said for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Tavares had this to say about Brad Marchand:

“You get to see more the person-side. Just who he is in around the locker room and away from the rink, and certainly the player that he is.”

John Tavares and Brad Marchand played for Team Canada during the 2016 World Cup of Hocek in which the Canadian side took home the gold medal. That experience has prompted Tavares to deliver positive comments on Brad Marchand.

Tavares added:

“Just a really good hockey player. He’s had a Hall of Fame-type of career.”

Tavares went on to compare Marchand with Marner, by stating:

“He’s (Marchand) got a really good sense of humor, obviously, you know, I’ve talked a lot about Mitchie’s energy and the juice that he brings to the locker room every single day and the type of vibe that he has around our group, which is infectious.”

John Tavares concluded:

“I would say it’s different; unique in their own way. But same type of idea in bringing a type of energy to the group that’s obviously impactful.”

The positive comments from Tavares underscore how much the team values Marner’s contributions to the team. Marner is in the last year of a $65.418 million deal but has yet to re-sign. Fans and teammates hope Marner and the Leafs can get a deal done sooner rather than later.

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John Tavares and Brad Marchand square off at TD Garden on Tuesday night with teams going in different directions

John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs will square off against Brad Marchand's Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on Tuesday night.

The Atlantic Division tilt has different implications for both teams. The Leafs (72 points in 57 games) lead the division with a 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. Furthermore, Toronto are enjoying a two-game winning streak having won a recent back-to-back against the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks.

Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins (61 points) are sixth in the Atlantic and are three points behind for a possible Eastern Conference wildcard berth. They have a 4-5-1 record in their last 10 games, including a three-game skid, meaning the Bruins need a turnaround in form to salvage their season.

As such, Tuesday night’s game is a must-win for Boston. They have lost two-of-three against Toronto this season, including a 6-4 loss away at the Leafs on Jan. 4.

A victory for the Bruins will help the Bruins get back into the playoff picture, while the Leafs will be looking to solidify their hold on the Atlantic Division lead.