Brad Marchand's best kept secret revealed, and it's Leafs-related

"I was always a Toronto fan growing up - as painful as that is to say now," Marchand told Boston Sports Journal's Conor Ryan on Thursday. Given the rich history between the two legendary hockey clubs and the heated rivalry that they had formed over the years, the news is somewhat shocking.

Marchand has made a career out of getting under the skin of the opposition, and considering the fact that Toronto and Boston are division rivals, this detail of his past was probably buried pretty deep after he was drafted in the 3rd round by the Bruins back in 2006 (71st overall).

Knowing what we know now, I wonder if there will ever come a time where Marchand reaches free agency and decides that he'd like the opportunity to don the blue and white before he retires.

As Leafs fans, we are conditioned to hate Marchand.. but we all know the truth, which is that if he was a Leaf, we'd all love him and his obnoxious on-ice antics.