In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Brad Marchand spoke to the media following the availability with David Pastrnak, addressing the report that there have been some issues between the two Boston Bruins players. Elsewhere, Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary got some good news regarding his knee injury, as it won’t require surgery and rehabilitation can begin immediately. Finishing it off will be the connection between the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings surrounding the future of center Dylan Cozens.
Marchand Blasts Reporter for Bruins Story
As mentioned in yesterday’s edition of this series, Rich Keefe of the Jones & Keefe Show reported that there is tension between Marchand and Pastrnak. Following the update and availability from Pastrnak yesterday, Marchand spoke to the media and did not hold back on what he thought of the situation.
“I’m not gonna let it become something that it’s not so this guy can go pound sand…go back to the closet where no one knew where he was before…and report on nothing because that’s what he’s gonna be doing after this.”
Brad Marchand on Rich Keefe’s report of Bruins’ locker room being a “disaster”
Considering Marchand, the captain of the Bruins, was this upfront and clear about his opinion on the report, it is safe to say where the Bruins played stand on this report. Pastrnak’s comments were in a defensive tone, saying that he doesn’t feel this way. When Marchand stood in front of the microphone, he stated that there were no facts behind the report.
“I know reporters have a job to do, but usually you try to be fact-based. When there are blatant lies told in the media, that is when there is a problem” said Marchand.
NHL players aren’t often this upfront with the media, so when they are, it becomes a big deal. This report clearly struck a nerve within the Bruins captain, but he did a good job of sticking up for himself, Pastrnak, and the rest of the players, as well as accountability when it comes to reporting.
Flames’ Zary Receives Positive News With Injury
There was some legitimate concern that the knee injury that Zary suffered on Jan. 8 would be a significant one and that he could miss the entire season. Luckily for both Zary and the Flames, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
In a game against the Anaheim Ducks, Zary was entering the offensive zone when Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson made contact with Zary’s left leg. He went to the ice immediately, holding just above his knee, and could not leave the ice on his own power. Helleson was given a five-minute major penalty on the play but was not given any supplemental discipline in the form of a fine or suspension.
Immediate news from the Flames stated that there was no fracture, which was good news, but with the inflammation, they were unable to get a clearer picture. On Jan. 10, once they were able to get a better idea of the extent of the injury, it was confirmed that along with no fracture, there were no ACL or MCL injuries, avoiding a few major concerns. The exact extent of the injury hasn’t been released, but the Flames did announce that there is no surgery required and that he will begin rehabilitating the injury immediately.
Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960, a Flames radio station, shared that Craig Conroy stated “He’s not going to be back in the immediate future, but he’s definitely going to be back this season.”.
Zary had 22 points in his first 40 games of the season and has been a strong asset for the Flames, so they will be anticipating his return much sooner than initially expected, which was next season.
Red Wings Could Be Front-Runners for Cozens
Cozens has been in trade conversations for most of the season at this point. The Sabres aren’t in the position they expected to be in, and on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman shared that the Sabres and Red Wings were getting pretty close to pulling off a deal prior to the holiday break.
Related: Red Wings Exploring Dylan Cozens Deal: Is He Worth It?
Friedman reported that the Red Wings and Sabres were scouting each other pretty extensively at the time, and while he doesn’t know exactly were it stands right now, it makes a lot of sense for the Red Wings to look into acquiring Cozens. With five more seasons after this one at $7.1 million, Cozens is locked up to a reasonable cap hit, and while he is underperforming this season, he has eclipsed the 30-goal mark and finished the 2022-23 season with 68 points.
Cozens would fit in well for the Red Wings, and his age of 23 years fits well too. Behind Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings have J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp, and Joe Veleno. They would certainly like an upgrade on their roster, and now that they have won six games in a row, they are right back in the playoff hunt and could look to improve their roster. Cozens would be the second-line center for the club, and the cost of acquisition wouldn’t be cheap, but the Red Wings have a great amount of NHL veterans, draft picks, and high-quality prospects who could be involved in a potential trade for Cozens.
