Ex-NHL star Paul Bissonnette comes to Brad Marchand's defense amid controversial hit on Timothy Liljegren

Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins recently became a focal point of intense scrutiny due to a controversial play. In the NHL, where hard hits and collisions are routine, Marchand's involvement in a contentious incident led to a controversial debate.

The incident in question occurred during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs and left defenseman Timothy Liljegren injured and out of the game.

While many called for disciplinary action against Marchand, there were voices coming to his defense, most notably former NHL star Paul Bissonnette.

The controversy arose when Liljegren was on the receiving end of a hit from Brad Marchand, a hit that some deemed questionable. In the final minute of the first period, he executed what's known as a "can opener" on Liljegren, sending him into the boards.

The hit went unpunished by the officials, sparking immediate outrage from fans and commentators.

Paul Bissonnette, a former NHL star and current TNT host and podcaster, was one of the prominent figures who came to Brad Marchand's defense. According to Bissonnette, the hit shouldn't be considered dirty, as he believes that Liljegren initiated contact, and both players were engaged in a stick battle.

“Liljegren initiates contact and they both go into stick battle mode. Marchand outmuscles him the result is the position behind his skate. Not dirty. Boys are just battling.”

Marchand's physicality, in this view, simply resulted in him gaining the upper hand in the battle for positioning behind Liljegren's skate. This perspective challenged the notion that Marchand's hit was malicious or deserving of suspension.

Other analysts debate over Brad Marchand's controversial hit

Bissonnette's stance is not an isolated one. Matt Larkin of the Daily Face-Off, another respected voice in the hockey community, shared a similar viewpoint. He argued that the incident was an unfortunate outcome of a puck battle, rather than a dirty play.

"It's natural to believe Brad Marchand hurt Timothy Liljegren deliberately. Marchand is the most suspended NHL player – ever. But Thursday's unfortunate incident was the result of Liljegren losing a puck battle. Not dirty."

Timothy Liljegren, who found himself at the receiving end of the hit, is a key member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive lineup. He had been playing alongside Mark Giordano on the team's second pairing, contributing with an assist and averaging over 19 minutes of ice time over nine games prior to the incident.

To make matters worse for the Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins ultimately emerged victorious in the game, winning 3-2 in a shootout.