NHL analysts speculate whether Brad Marchand deserves spot in Hockey Hall of Fame despite other ‘1000 points’ players

NHL insiders Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman assessed fellow Canadian Brad Marchand’s chances of being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The duo discussed the issue during Monday’s edition of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast" on Sportsnet, which they co-host.

Bukauskas was vocal in his opinion that Marchand was a future Hall of Famer.

“I know, like, there's other players out there that have played 1,000 games and have 1,000 points that aren't in the Hall of Fame," Bukauskas said [43:50]. “I think you look at the way he impacted the league for all those years in that kind of way, there just wasn't a lot of other players like him.

“There were agitators out there, no question; there were players that could score over his years, absolutely. But to have that complete package, he's one of the rare ones, and I think that has to be factored into the conversation too.”

Bukauskas’ co-host, Elliotte Friedman, said he had brought up the issue because of some pushback he had received to the idea of Marchand in the Hall of Fame.

“Yes, I'm with you on all this. Like, to me, he is a Hall of Famer,” Friedman said [45:40].

Brad Marchand spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins after they drafted him in 2006. He won the Stanley Cup in his rookie season with the franchise in 2010-11 and was named captain in 2023. He has played 1,090 games for the Bruins and scored 422 goals with 554 assists for 976 points.

In a move that shocked fans, analysts and Bruins players alike, Marchand was traded to the Florida Panthers on Friday, the final day of the 2024-25 trade deadline.

Bukauskas weighs in on Brad Marchand’s combative gameplay

Brad Marchand might not be the most prolific scorer in the league, but he is considered one of the best at breaking the opposing team’s rhythm.

“I know there were times, certainly, that he crossed the line making impacts on the game and was reprimanded for it,” Bukauskas said [44:03]. “But then he became a player where, I mean, how would you find a comparable?

“He was a guy that could be over a point a game, that could impact the game; on the power play, on the penalty kill, five-on-five. Just an absolute menace to play against that drove other fan bases wild.”

The 36-year-old left winger is currently week-to-week with an upper-body injury and hasn’t played in the NHL since March 1.