Bruins stars fire back at radio host’s ‘insane’ report of locker room rift: ‘100 percent false’.

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The Bruins didn’t need any of this during an already trying season.

On Friday, WEEI’s Rich Keefe reported the team’s two biggest stars, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, are beefing — a storyline both players quickly denied.

“The locker room is a disaster, and David Pastrnak is at the center of that,” Keefe said on the “Jones & Keefe” show. “David Pastrnak has told the team he doesn’t want to be on a line with Brad Marchand, and it may stem from Brad Marchand calling out Pastrnak for some of his play.”
David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins looks for a shot against Peyton Krebs of the Buffalo Sabres.Getty Images
Just over halfway through their season, the Bruins are fourth in the Atlantic Division at 20-19-5 with Pastrnak’s struggles among the main culprits for their woes.

With 17 goals and 42 points through 44 games, the Czech winger is on pace for the lowest full-season goal total of his career and fewest points since 2021-22.

Marchand, the team’s captain, has not been shy when it comes to publicly calling out teammates who aren’t pulling their weight.

Still, he wasn’t about to let Keefe’s reporting go without an answer.

“I’ve heard what was said in the media this morning. It’s unfortunate,” Marchand told reporters. “I know reporters have a job to do and that job is to report on the team. Usually, you try to be fact-based. But when there’s just blatant lies told in the media, that’s where there’s a problem. The fact this guy has a platform and is just making this up is embarrassing. There’s zero truth to anything he said. This is how you lose a job very quickly. The fact that he’s gonna have a job after this is insane.”

Marchand went on to call Pastrnak his “best friend” and explained their lineup separation this season.

“We’ve been incredibly close for a long time, and the only reason we don’t play together is to spread the depth through the lineup,” he said. “There’s zero truth to him being a problem in the room. … This guy has zero merit to anything he’s saying.”
Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins skates for the puck against the Washington Capitals.Getty Images
Pastrnak said the pair of longtime Boston forward shared a laugh over the report.

“[Marchand] brought me in for a chat before practice. Honestly, I’ve been laughing for a little bit,” Pastrnak he said. “I thought he was making fun of me. Then he said it was actually true. I don’t make much of it. I know how I feel about Marchy and know we love each other. I have a huge amount of respect for him. We had a good laugh about it. It’s 100 percent false.