Brad Marchand has a fan in an NBA Hall of Famer.
Charles Barkley made a guest appearance on TNT’s alt cast for Game 2 between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes and revealed a player he loves, and one he’s not quite fond of.
“I love watching Marchand,” Barkley said. “He’s one of those guys you would love to play with. I have nothing but admiration and respect for him.
“And let me tell you something. I hate (Panthers defenseman) Seth Jones. I really do,” he continued. “I played in the NBA for all those years his dad was the only person who kicked my ass all the time. (Larry) Bird was great, (Kevin) McHale was great, Carl Malone was great, (Kevin) Garnett, all those guys. I could holy my own against those guys. I never had any success against Popeye Jones. And to this day I have no idea why. So I will always hate Seth Jones because of his dad.”
Barkley, clearly, is not only one to hold a grudge, but carry it on through family members.
As for Marchand, had a physical Game 1 that ended early due to a game misconduct after a fight with Shayne Gostisbehere. He amassed four hits in 13:01 of ice time before his ejection. And while he didn’t show up on the scoresheet, he was able to get under the skin of his opponent.
