Home / News / Brad Marchand vs Steve Dangle, explained 🍿

Brad Marchand vs Steve Dangle, explained 🍿

By Peter Hassett

 0 Comment

February 1, 2023 2:13 pm

We’re basically in the All-Star Break now, so please forgive this digression into silliness.

Last weekend, Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras got into some trouble for words he said to Arizona Coyotes defender Troy Stecher during a scrum. Then a lot happened and now — for no apparent reason — Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand is publicly feuding with at least three members of the hockey press, including Steve Dangle.

Let’s figure this out together.

During Saturday’s Ducks-Coyotes game, Zegras and Stecher got into it.

Some intrepid internet-based lip-readers concluded that Zegras said something rude about Stecher’s late father. Others disagreed. The controversy prompted Phoenix sportswriter Craig Morgan to deliver what felt like the authoritative take. “I can confirm via the Coyotes that Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras did not say anything about Troy Stecher’s father during their dust-up last night,” Morgan tweeted. “But, per a team source, he crossed the line with ‘some very inappropriate comments.’ Stecher has declined comment on the topic.”

To which Marchand replied,

I have to emphasize that Marchand plays for neither Anaheim nor Arizona, the two teams involved. Marchand has never played on a pro team with either Stecher or Zegras, the two players involved. Marchand is not an NHLPA officer. He’s a disinterested party who for no discernible reason is very passionate about this meta-story.

It gets better.

On Wednesday morning, Hockey News reporter Jacob Stoller confronted Marchand about #pieholegate during Boston’s morning skate in Toronto. Stoller asked Marchand what led him to post the tweet. Per Stoller, Marchand’s reply: “Ah, nothing. I read that tweet and that’s what popped in my head so I said it.”

This is, of course, the quintessence of a true Poster. Marchand has adopted the Ice T approach to being terminally online.

We saw the poster brain in full effect moments later as Marchand replied to the reporter reporting about his reply to a question about his reply to an original story that he was not involved in.

“I’m sorry you didn’t like my answer, Jacob.” Marchand wrote. “Would you like me to say something different so you don’t have something so stupid to hang your career on? Great reporting this am!!”

It still gets better. We’re nearing the end.

Toronto multimedia maven Steve Dangle sprinted down the runway and entered the ring, which at this point was nearing Royal Rumble occupancy levels. In reply to Marchand, Dangle wrote, “That make you feel big? TF is this? Relax.” (TF is internet slang for “what the fudge”.)

And then, the pièce de résistance, Marchand hit Dangle with this.

Marchand, 34, has 16 goals and 30 assists this season. I have to include that to remind myself and everyone else that he’s a professional athlete. Boston’s final game before the break is tonight against the Leafs. Then he’ll have ten days free to post.

Headline photo: @NHLBruins, Steve Dangle

, ,