The duo of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand was about as close to a “good cop, bad cop” dynamic as you’ll find in the NHL.
Bergeron was a universally respected player for his style of play, off-ice candor and all-world ability both offensively and defensively. He won the Selke Trophy six times and before retiring last year.
Marchand, meanwhile, was (and still is) despised by fans around the league outside of Boston.
His hard edge and penchant for crossing the line occasionally drives opposing players and fans alike mad. That he loves being hated makes opposition fans want to dislike him all the more, but it’s how good of a player he is that drives them into fits of fury.
The two of them together (with an all-star cast that included Zdeno Chara, David Pastrnak, Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas throughout the years) helped Boston become one of the best teams in the league every year including a Stanley Cup win in 2011, two other Final appearances in 2013 and 2019 and three Presidents’ trophies (2014, 2020, 2023).
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