Bruins' Brad Marchand expected to play Thursday at Kraken

Last Friday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman officially upheld the six-game suspension handed to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand after he clearly punched the head of Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry and then hit Jarry with a high-stick late in a 4-2 home loss at TD Garden back on Feb. 8. 

Marchand's ban ended following Monday's impressive 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, but the 33-year-old was noticeably absent from Wednesday's practice ahead of Thursday's contest at the Seattle Kraken. Per Lauren Campbell of NESN, Marchand was dealing with a "personal family matter" earlier in the day and is expected to rejoin the Bruins Thursday morning. This, presumably, will make him available to take the ice in Seattle. 

According to ESPN stats, Marchand is tied with David Pastrnak for the team lead with 49 points and leads all Boston players with 28 assists this season. Boston, meanwhile, began Wednesday's NHL action fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with 62 points, six points back of the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs and 10 points ahead of the fifth-place Detroit Red Wings. 

Marchand's latest suspension was his eighth career NHL ban, the most among active players, per Arun Srinivasan of Yahoo Sports.