Marchand earns B’s All-Star nod

Brad Marchand will be the Bruins’ lone representative at the NHL All-Star game in Tampa later this month, his second straight selection for the midwinter extravaganza.

Marchand leads the Bruins in scoring with 17-23-40 totals despite missing eight games with a concussion. While Marchand is a good choice to go to and excel in the 3-on-3 tourney, the league would not have gone wrong if any of Marchand’s linemates, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, were selected. In a team statement, Marchand showed his linemates the love.

“They’re huge,” he said. “I know I wouldn’t be having the year I’m having without them. I’m very fortunate to have them as linemates, both phenomenal players, both deserve to be here as well. It’s an honor to come to the rink every day and be on their line and have the chemistry that we do. We have a lot of fun together.”

And while the 3-on-3 format would not have been his forte, captain Zdeno Chara is having an All-Star worthy season with a plus-20 rating and strong penalty kill work. It would have been cool to see him take one more shot at the hardest shot competition, which he owned when he was a regular selection. After a slow start, Tuukka Rask, an All-Star last year, has had a torrid stretch.

“Initially, I was a little shocked,” said Marchand. “We have some great teammates that deserve to be there, and I expected them to be there. Very, very honored, very excited to have the opportunity, and very proud to be part of this game again.”

But with the the Tampa Bay Lightning, the hosts, taking up four of the 11 spots given to each divisional team, there was no room for a second player. It’s also hard to argue with any of the four Bolts taken — forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiiy.

The skills competition will be January 27 before the Jan. 28 game.