The on-ice struggles that kept the Boston Bruins out of the playoffs last season may have stemmed from locker room issues.
That's how winger Brad Marchand saw things, at least, suggesting the team wasn't as tight as it had been in previous seasons.
"In the past years, we were family, but for some reason this past year we were definitely a little bit divided, and had different cliques," Marchand told CSNNE's Joe Haggerty. "It could've been because we had a lot of guys coming up in different times from (AHL) Providence; they felt a lot more together, and it seemed like the older guys didn't do a good job at integrating other guys."
On top of that, Marchand added there appeared to be commitment issues, with some players perhaps not giving the team its best chance to win night in and night out.
"It was really tough," Marchand said about last season. "In our group, with the team we have in this organization, we expect guys to come in every night and be prepared to lay their bodies on the line. The majority of the guys wanted nothing more to be in the playoffs last year and even if you have one passenger, that's enough to ruin your chances.
"We didn't have all (the) guys going. It was very disappointing."
While general manager Don Sweeney jettisoned Reilly Smith and Dougie Hamilton during the offeason, the team's forward ranks were boosted by the additions of Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes, both of whom are expected to step in and add a measure of renewed stability both on and off the ice.
For his part, Marchand recorded 24 goals and 18 assists while hindered by an elbow injury that required offseason surgery.
