The Boston Bruins have been the villains in Canadian rinks for years, and nowhere more so than in Montréal. It’s a virtual tradition—Bruins step onto the ice, and down come the boos. But this time? This time, it might be different. Brad Marchand, the player Canadian fans have loved to hate for over a decade, might just hear cheers in the Bell Centre.

Thanks to the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Marchand is suiting up for Team Canada, the veteran forward now finds himself in the good books of the Montréal faithful. But is this real, or is it merely a temporary ceasefire?

Marchand, never one to shy away from speaking the truth, didn’t exactly sound convinced. “Well, we haven’t seen it yet, so it may not happen,” he said, clearly aware of his reputation. He conceded that fans would probably be cheering more for the jersey than for him. “That’s the greatest part of Canada,” he went on. “When you’re cheering for Team Canada, everybody comes together.”

For Marchand, it’s an odd twist of fate. The 35-year-old winger has been a thorn in the side of Habs fans for years, and not just because of his goal-scoring. The Bruins-Canadiens rivalry runs deep, and Marchand has built a career out of getting under Montréal’s skin. From mocking celebrations to cheap shots and the licking incidents of the 2018 playoffs, he’s carved out a reputation as one of the city’s top villains. But the Team Canada jersey has a way of flipping the script. Longtime Bruin Patrice Bergeron was given a pass by Canadian fans when he donned the international jersey. Even Sidney Crosby, for all his difficulties against Canadian clubs in the NHL, was a national hero after he scored the golden goal in 2010.

Brad Marchand can’t get used to it

Now, if only briefly, Marchand gets to play that same part. The player who’s usually public enemy number one is now a player fans will be rooting for—at least for the meantime. Marchand is not naive, though. He understands this is a fleeting proposition. When asked about the opposite scenario taking place in Boston—where Bruins fans could potentially boo him if Team Canada struggles—he laughed it off. He understands the temporary nature of these allegiances. As soon as the tournament ends, all of this gets reset. Bruins fans will love him. Canadiens fans will go back to booing him immediately. And he is absolutely fine with that.

The 4 Nations Face-Off against Canada, the U.S., Sweden, and Finland have already featured some of the world’s top talent under one roof. Marchand is stepping onto the ice alongside Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Cale Makar—Canada’s roster is absolutely stacked. That gives them a legitimate shot at taking the entire thing, and if they do, Marchand could get a rare going-away present from Montréal fans in the form of applause.

But let’s be realistic: the moment he slaps the spoked-B back on, it’s back to boos, chirps, and the same old bedlam. And knowing Marchand, he wouldn’t have it any other way.