Brad Marchand
I just remember I'd snap over little things when I was younger a lot. It was more just trying to control yourself in certain situations and learn how to harness that anger.Collection: Anger
If you are not playing for the Stanley Cup at the end of the year, what's the point? If you don't win, you may as well not make the playoffs, because you are loser just like everyone else.
Practice makes perfect and if you practice battling and competing and working hard, then that will transfer over in a game. If you practice just kind of floating around out there in practice, you know that's going to transfer over, too. So I think the harder you work and the more you compete, then that's how you're going to play in a game.
Maybe playing around and having fun is considered being a rat... I guess I'm a rat.
Both my grandfathers were in the Navy, and I have cousins and uncles in the military, so it's something that I've always respected.
I'm a lot smaller than most guys, so I have to make up with grittiness and show I can work the hardest, show I'm strong on my skates and show I can push some people around.
It isn't something I'm out there looking to do - take minor penalties.
I was always taught growing up that great players show up to big games.
If we have to battle through some adversity during the year, sometimes that can be the best thing for a team.
It's tough being a small player. You don't want to be known as a guy who goes into the corner and loses 50 percent of the battles.
The mind is such a powerful thing, and when you learn how to control that it really turns a lot of things around.
Goals come in bunches. When you're hot, things go in. Then there will be times where you go through a span where you have about 20 games without a goal and it's just how it is.
When the team does well we all do well.
Being an agitator gives me an opportunity to draw penalties against the other team. That's one part that brings emotion to my game.
You don't forget everything that happens when you win, and you definitely don't forget what happens when you lose.
I'm not a big poker guy, I like to play shnarps.
There are great players who go unnoticed because they're not on the best teams.
I have friends who are in gay relationships and I don't think it's right for people to be against that.
I want to stand up for what I believe in, and I don't think it's right when people say things or bash people because of their sexual orientation.
I have been a Bruin since the start of my pro career and there is no place I would rather play.
Deep down I think I'm a lovable guy.
I'm not always a rat. Sometimes it just comes out.
We're all friends, me and the refs.
Boston has become my second home. I absolutely love it there.
Winning and losing, it sticks with you forever.
I remember all the way back to atom, when I would be doing things I shouldn't be doing. It is just how I was. It just gets me involved in the game.
I can't be getting off my game. I need to be getting teams off their games.
I've won midget championships, a junior-league title, two World Junior Championships and some other minor-hockey championships, but I don't think teams win because I'm on them.
I have to play a bit of a physical game and try to work harder than everyone else.
My dad was a big grinder, a tough guy. I inherited that from him.
It'd be better if I was 6-2, 220, but I'll work with what I've got.
If we want to be a good team, you have to learn how to practice every day.
You need young guys to come in and play like older guys, really help the team and produce.
We always play better when we play with emotion.
When we do, when we're playing physical and we're playing tight, playing with emotion, we play well.
When you're out there and you see how excited the kids get to talk to you and how much they enjoy watching us play, it's really touching and I think we all appreciate what we do so much more when you see the excitement that you bring; especially with the kids.
When your team does well and you're winning then everyone has success from that. You see that with all Cup-winning teams. Those guys end up having long careers.
I've always been a guy that's worked hard off the ice and prepared the right way and I feel like I can play those minutes, can play power play and PK and 5-on-5 and I've worked hard to make sure my stamina's up so I can play those minutes.
My dad's always been a coach and one of my coaches.
It's always a lot easier when you have people around you supporting you.
Halifax is a big hockey city. Everyone loves the game here and really enjoys anyone who has had success.
When you win the Cup, you need everything to line up. You need to get lucky, you need guys to stay healthy, you need guys to play well at the right time.
You want to stay even-keel. When you get too high, when you get too low, that's when things tend to go wrong.
There's going to be ups, there's going to be downs and you're going to have to roll with the punches.
I can never say enough good things about Boston.
I don't play in spite of people, I play for the people who pushed me along, the people who have helped me succeed.
Growing up, your whole goal and dream is to make the NHL. Once you get there, you kind of have to expand your goals on and off the ice. It took a little bit of time for me to do that, but again, with age and maturity you understand what you want more and how to achieve those things.
Growing up, I had military members in my family.
The last thing I want to do is anything to hurt the team.
I don't bite the hand that feeds me. I'm a little smarter than that.