Brad Marchand and Jeremy Swayman have been missing from Boston Bruins training camp throughout the first couple of weeks.
Of course, Swayman has been out due to a contract dispute. Meanwhile, Marchand has been out because of injuries. Well, today, one of those players came back. It was their captain, Marchand.
It was a time for Marchand to show that he can still play at an elite level, albeit one that comes with some grace due to his recovery. For Marchand, he feels like the conditioning was there. However, he still has some kinks in his back to work out.
Below you can find a collection of quotes that came following Marchand's first outing. He said them while speaking to NHL reporter Eric Rosen.
'It feels good to be out there without a noncontact jersey and be part of full practice," Marchand said. 'Hopefully as things progress here, get into a couple games by the end of camp and be ready for the season.''Getting that back is a little bit off right now but every day I feel conditioning is catching up and is there,' Marchand said. 'I don't feel out of place in that. Something I can still continue to work on but I'm happy with where I'm at.'
'The fitness level feels fine,' Marchand said. 'It's more the pace of bodies coming at you and timing, making plays under pressure.'
This is going to be an interesting season for the Bruins, especially with their problems involving Swayman. However, with Marchand's leadership, there is no doubt that they could surprise some people.
