As a "rookie" writing my first blog, I’m reminded of a few other firsts I’ve had over the years: First games, first goals, first fights, first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and even the first season after retiring, watching the game in a new way for the first time.

All of those moments are special in their own way but it all started with that first time stepping on the ice wearing the creast of an NHL team: the Atlanta (later Calgary) Flames.

My first game in the NHL was October 11, 1978. We played the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium. Many people forget about Bobby Orr's injury-laden late-career stint in Chicago, but his mere presence in this game was an indescribable thrill for me.

I had played in some big junior-level games prior to this but this game meant the whole world to me. Just the realization that I’d be lining up against one of my ultimate childhood idols -- quite possibly the best defenseman in NHL history and someone who made playing an extremely difficult position seem downright easy -- was emotional for me. The guy had a lock on the Norris Trophy from the time I was 10 years old just about right up until the point when I was playing in the NHL.

To skate on the same ice as Orr, even on the opposite side, was a validation to that I had truly made it to hockey's greatest league. That thought also made the butterflies in my stomach churn that much more!

To ease my nerves, Norm Mackie, the Atlanta Flames trainer, said to me, “Hey Marshy, if you think you’re nervous, you should see Bobby Orr!”

Orr was returning from a year off due to his chronic injuries and the expectations for him were still extremely high. He only played 6 games that year before he retired and was under pressure to play at close to his accustomed level. That was a whole different sort of nerves than being a rookie trying to prove himself.

From my own standpoint, I just felt thrilled and fortunate that I got to rub shoulders in the corner with such a legend in my very first game.

I’d love tell you about my first goal as a rookie. The only problem is that I didn't score one that year! My first NHL goal came a full season and a half later, and there is another goal I wanted to mention today. Hey, I was a defensive defenseman. I haven’t got many goals to talk about so I’ve got to spread them out!

My first NHL fight, on the other hand, came much sooner, and it happened against the team I am probably most associated with during my career: the Philadelphia Flyers.

On November 1, 1978, we had a home game against Philadelphia. Mel Bridgman hit me behind the net after I touched the puck for icing and the whistle blew. I didn’t particularly like that, so off came the gloves and we went at it.

Had I been a little smarter, I may have chose someone else to square off with as Bridgman certainly knew how to fight. I held my own and I might even say that I won the bought (although Mel might not agree) but he did bloody me up pretty good.


Watch Brad Marsh vs Mel Bridgman in Sports 


The day after my bout with Bridgman, coach Fred Creighton pulled me aside and said, “Good fight last night, Brad. Bridgman is a tough customer. People around the league are going to take notice of that one.”

Back in those days, people took notice of who could fight. Not necessarily so you could have the goon-on-goon staged fights you see now, but to see who you didn’t want to mess with. It’s tough to say, but that fight might’ve earned me some respect around the league.

I have resided in the Ottawa area since retiring as a player. There is understandably a lot of focus about longtime Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson making his return to his old stompin' grounds to play against his former team. Without getting into too much of a prediction, I hope for the goalie’s sake that it isn’t like the first time I lined up opposite my old teammates.

The first time I played against a former team was in 1982 at the old Corral in Calgary. I had been traded from the Flames to the Flyers, captain for captain, for the very guy I had my first ever NHL fight against: Mel Bridgman. With a wild game tied at 8-8, I somehow managed put a shot over goalie Pat Riggin's shoulder to cap off the victory the Flyers.

Pure fluke but, hell, I was thrilled!

It’s always sweet to get the win against your old friends and teammates but what made it even sweeter was that my buddy Riggin, who also played with me on the London Knights, was in the net for Calgary.

I’m sure “Flyers goal scored by number 8, Brad Marsh,” was the last thing any of the Flames thought they’d hear in Calgary that night.

Hockey fates are strange and wonderful sometimes. Back in 1979, the Flames and Flyers were both considering drafting Riggin and Swedish goaltender Per-Erik "Pelle" Lindbergh. The Flames ultimately took Riggin and the Flyers took Pelle. I became close with both guys as friends and teammates.

The friendships that are made with teammates don’t just disappear when you’re traded. It’s a little different when the guy you’re going into the corner against is the same guy that, just a few months prior, you’d have been meeting at the corner bar for a beer after practice. In a lot of ways though, it’s something that has happened before. When you grow up learning the game, you do so playing against all your buddies, whether it was on the pond, or playing ball hockey.

It doesn’t matter if its minor hockey, professional hockey or even pick-up hockey with the guys, you know you’re playing a little extra hard when a good friend is lining up against you.

You aren’t just playing for the win. You’re playing for bragging rights as well.

As I said in the beginning, there are plenty of firsts I’ve been lucky to have experienced throughout my career but none of them would’ve happened if it wasn’t for the positive role models I had the opportunity to learn from along the way. And, to expand on that, learning from leaders at every level, no matter what the endeavor, ensures that there will always be another first or new personal best on the horizon.

Over the course of my 1,000-plus game NHL career, I was very lucky to come to know many leaders that influenced my hockey career and my life after hockey. I look forward to sharing those stories with the Hockey Buzz community as well as giving an old guy’s take on what’s happening in the league today. Look for my blog every Wednesday.