Brad Marchand has entered the chat.
We've seen plenty of that recently, as the Boston Bruins star has taken a few shots at his opponents on social media in recent weeks.
Late Monday night, however, Marchand used his Twitter account to come to the defense of David Krejci, who announced last July he was leaving the Bruins to finish his playing career in his native Czechia.
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Bruins reporter Matt Kalman didn't even mention Marchand in his tweet wondering whether Krejci should take criticism for leaving the team without a top-six center. But the 33-year-old saw Kalman's tweet anyway and felt the need to weigh in.
"Absolutely not.. yah we would love to have him, but he’s earned the right to play in front of his family and friends," Marchand wrote after Boston's 7-0 win over the Kings in Los Angeles.
The Bruins' recent move to bump Jake DeBrusk onto the top line with Marchand and Patrice Bergeron has paid immediate dividends, as DeBrusk has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his last three games. If Krejci was centering a second line of David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall, Boston could have two elite forward groups.
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It's hard to fault Krejci for his decision, though: He spent 15 seasons with the Bruins -- 12 as Marchand's teammate -- and turns 36 in April. His parents and brother live in Czechia, and he cited a desire to play in front of them while raising his children in his home country.
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The B's also let Krejci's contract expire last offseason, so if they really wanted to keep the talented center around, they could have offered a financial incentive. While the Bruins have left the door open for Krejci's return, general manager Don Sweeney said last month that he hasn't spoken to Krejci since late 2021.
Krejci also is playing well for HC Olomouc of the Czech Extraliga -- 41 points in 47 games -- so don't count on him returning to Boston anytime soon. If you ask Marchand, Krejci's former teammates seem at peace with that.