Listed at 5 feet, 9 inches tall, Brad Marchand faced some hurdles en route to becoming one of the league’s elite talents.
For one, the Boston Bruins selected him in the third round of the 2006 selection. While plenty of diamonds in the rough came out of the later rounds throughout NHL history, few scouts likely projected Marchand as a top-six commodity.
Sure, Marchand showcased his scoring touch in the junior hockey ranks. He followed up with two productive seasons in Providence during his initial stint with the organization. But anything beyond a bottom-six energy role seemed unlikely once he earned a full-time roster spot in Boston under former coach Claude Julien during the 2010-11 season.