In the midst of a poor run that suggests the team needs bigger changes, there’s also an underlying problem: this team shouldn’t be losing so much of its backbone. This points to a mindset issue that can no longer be placed solely on the coach, but on the leading players as well.
Brad Marchand, more than for his talent, is one of the most authentic guys you’ll see. But if you asked him whether he leads like Chara or Bergeron did, he’d quickly deny it. The current circumstances suggest a similar answer, because those previous leaders dealt with roster turnover, yet practice inconsistencies and mental vulnerability were never a problem.
As someone who likes to muck things up on the ice in his own way—and who infamously made a poor line change in Game 7 vs. the St. Louis Blues—Marchand would likely prefer to complement a true player leader and just play his brand of game, which has worked so well for him. Putting leadership duties on him has done a disservice both to the team and to Marchand himself.
It would have been tough to raise any other player to captaincy, but it remains clear that Marchand would have been better off—and he knows it.
Flavin Media 
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