When the Boston Bruins faced the St. Louis Blues in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, Pat Maroon had some choice words for the Bruins in Game 5, as he skated by the bench and stated "You're fuc%ed!" The Bruins would ultimately lose the series in 7 games.
Since that series, the Bruins have lost playoff series to more physical teams, including the 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning, then the 2021 New York Islanders and then last year to the Florida Panthers. Due to this, many media members have labeled the Bruins as "soft." When Maroon was asked about this, his response was "I wouldn't say that."
Maroon Continued to say "I mean, there's so many different avenues you can go on who's being tough and who's being soft. Winning your puck battles is playing heavy; winning your D-zone battles is playing heavy. There's so many components than just the fights in the game. That's just another attribute of the game. So for me, I think I look at it big picture instead of just the fights, and everything else. Winning your puck battles on the wall, being heavy on the forecheck, being hard on D, taking pucks, being heavy in the D-zone; that's being heavy. That's playoff hockey, being physical, and getting in guys' faces."
Clearly, Maroon does not believe the Bruins are soft and far from it as there are more ways to be tough and physical. Coming from a 3-time Stanley Cup champion, this should mean a lot for this Boston Bruins team.
