Marchand said he will not pursue any further appeal of his six-game ban, adding that he is just ready to "move forward" and be back around his teammates as they gear up for the stretch run.
"To appeal it would essentially at this point just change for the future, I guess, so it's not as big of a hit against my record," said Marchand. "And I guess the money standpoint. I think I'm just gonna move past it. It is what it is at this point. Got to accept the decision and just get back to playing.
"I miss being around the guys, miss being part of the group. I'm just so excited for that and to be back. I don't need any of the negative energy that that whole process brings. Just move forward with it."
The winger traveled to New York last week for an appeal hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at the league's headquarters. Bettman rendered a decision two days later upholding the six-game ban, a decision that Marchand says he accepts.
"I respect where they come from, how they came to their conclusion," said Marchand. "At the end of the day, we wanted to go through the process. It's part of the rights that we have as a player once you hit that point. We figured it might as well be worth it. There's nothing to lose at that point.
"I wanted to kind of get a better understanding of where they were coming from, how they got to their decision. We felt like it was a little excessive. Not just this one but the last one as well. We wanted to hear them out.
"Figured it would be a good opportunity to get face to face and go through that process, learn it all, and have a conversation with them. I accept it and respect it. Just got to move forward."
Marchand, who remains tied for the B's scoring lead with 49 points, said he will not focus on any potential on-ice consequences that might follow his latest banishment. Should opposing teams attempt to target or provoke him, Marchand said he will steer clear as much as possible knowing that his threshold for punishment is now much lower than other players in the league.
"I'm not gonna overthink it. I've done a great job the last number of years of reining everything in," said Marchand. "If I would have thought that that would've resulted in a suspension, that situation would have gone a lot differently…obviously, I think what I'm taking away from this is my threshold is very low right now. Really, I just have to stay away from anything at all. Which I can do.
"I've been able to do it for a number of years now and it's just wrapping my mind around that and accepting it, whether I agree with it or not, and move forward with the rules that I now understand are set for me."
