Bruins’ Joe Sacco Provides Key Injury Update On Brad Marchand

The Bruins will be without Brad Marchand for an extended period of time.

Boston interim head coach Joe Sacco confirmed to reporters Tuesday that Marchand is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

“Obviously, a hard guy to replace. We’re gonna miss him,” Sacco told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena, per a team-provided video. “It creates opportunities for other guys now to step up. Some of the youngers players, maybe like a (Georgii) Merkulov or (Matt) Poitras. It gives them more of an opportunity.”

Sacco relayed that Marchand was “disappointed” by the injury diagnosis but noted that the Bruins captain “will be back.”

Marchand suffered the upper-body injury in Boston’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena last Saturday. The B’s denounced the “crazy” hit that caused Marchand to crash into the boards.

The 36-year-old’s injury occurred when the Bruins were two points behind in the Eastern Conference wild-card standings and on the week of the NHL trade deadline. Boston will figure out the best course of action as it continues its playoff push.