He’s improved over the years on toeing the proverbial line, but from time to time Brad Marchand’s past reputation can come back to haunt him.

Case in point, Tuesday night in the first period of the Bruins-Red Wings game where Marchand slew-footed – or in the NHL’s terms dangerously tripped – Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall in the first period of the Bruins’ 4-3 win at TD Garden. No penalty was called on Marchand, who scored twice to help the B’s snap their four-game losing streak.

Despite not being penalized for the incident, Marchand earned himself a phone hearing from some familiar faces with the league’s Player Safety Department.

The verdict? A $10,000 fine – the maximum amount allowed under the league’s CBA without a suspension.

The last thing Marchand – and for that matter the Player Safety Department – wants is another hearing down the road.

“The last thing I want to be doing is continually going back in front of those guys,” Marchand said shortly after arriving at TD Garden on Thursday. I’m sure they’re sick of seeing me.”

The list of supplemental discipline for Marchand is pretty long. During his seven years in Boston, the veteran earned three suspensions – one for a head hit on former Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger in 2011 and two for slew-footing ex-Canucks defenseman Sami Salo in 2012 and current Sens blue-liner Mark Borowiecki last season – totaling 10 games. He’s also been fined on another separate occasion for a slew foot on Caps defenseman Matt Niskanen when he was with Pittsburgh in 2011.

Certainly, Thursday’s ruling could have been worse. Fortunately for Marchand, he’ll join his teammates as the Bruins look to avenge an embarrassing loss to the Penguins last week and establish a little momentum heading into the All-Star break.

“I feel very fortunate,” Marchand said about avoiding another suspension. “This is a huge game tonight for our team and I’m very excited to be a part of it and, hopefully, have a good game.”

Playing with an edge has worked well for Marchand over the years. He’s been able to curb it to some degree and success has come along with it as he leads the Bruins in points with 47 through 51 games – a year removed from scoring a career-high 36 goals.

Being more assertive over that fine line can only be a good thing for the first-time All-Star.

“That’s a little stupidity there, a little unnecessary,” Marchand said about the Kronwall incident and his style of play. “I can play the game without doing that stuff. I just have to be aware of it all the time.”

The Bruins depend on Marchand to do just that. The last thing they need in desperate times is to lose one of their best all-around players.