TORONTO, ON - APRIL 23: Brad Marchand #63 of the Boston Bruins waits for a puck drop against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round in the 2018 Stanley Cup Play-offs at the Air Canada Centre on April 23, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Bruins 3-1.(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brad Marchand

The NHL Wants This Hockey Star To Stop Licking Opponents

April 27, 2018

Photo: Claus Andersen (Getty)

Hockey may take the most athleticism to succeed than any other sport. You must be strong, fast, and agile; you must have excellent hand-eye coordination; you must also be able to take a licking … sometimes literally.

Elliotte Friedman got some laughs from his recent 31 Thoughts column on Sportsnet when he disclosed that the Boston Bruins recently got a phone call from the NHL. Why? Their All-Star left-winger Brad Marchand keeps licking people.

That’s Marchand nuzzling up to Toronto’s Leo Komarov in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

The NHL reportedly asked the Bruins to approach the notoriously pesky Marchand, asking him to stop the shenanigans.

Marchand responded unapologetically, calling Komarov “cute.”

What is it about Komarov that makes you want to cuddle with him?

Brad Marchand: “He’s cute.” pic.twitter.com/bZ4hJgNIq4

— Mark Dunphy (@m_b_dunphy) April 13, 2018

Instead of a goon, the Bruins have a pesty Casanova.

Boston now advances to the next round of the playoffs where they’ll meet the Tampa Bay Lightning. If I’m the Bolts I would consider encouraging my guys to eat a bunch of tuna. Maybe see what Marchand does if the guys start kissing back?

Now that would be cute.

Josh Helmuth is a sports reporter in St. Louis who contributes to Mandatory.

Josh is originally from the small berg of Arthur, Ill, proudly the Amish capital of the state. It also has one hell of a pumpkin patch.

Josh has enjoyed dipping his toes into a variety of careers since graduating from the University of Alabama, the most rewarding thus far having served as a youth director in southern California for four years, and his broadcasting career which has garnered two Emmy awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Josh enjoys loud rock music, Tom Hanks movies, dogs that like to cuddle and long runs. He is also always in search for America's greatest cheeseburger. Follow him here if you would like to be friends!