Patrice Bergeron generally knows what to expect this time of year when fielding questions from the media.
Less than a month separates Bergeron and his teammates from the Stanley Cup Playoffs — and with it, a chance for redemption following last spring’s crushing defeat against the Blues.
But on Monday morning at Warrior Ice Arena, most inquiries posed to Bergeron had little to do with Boston’s playoff expectations.
Rather, most of them revolved around the growing coronavirus outbreak that has stopped most sporting events overseas in its tracks — and is poised to turn leagues here in North America on their heads.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Bergeron said. “Hopefully it kind of calms down and we can all talk about hockey.”
The effects of the virus have already started to take root in the NHL.
With the Bruins, it has been business as usual over the last few days — with the regular locker-room access provided during Saturday’s loss to the Lightning and Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena.
However, a joint press release issued by the NHL, MLB, NBA and MLS on Monday night announced the following:
“After consultation with infectious disease and public health experts, and given the issues that can be associated with close contact in pre- and post-game settings, all team locker rooms and clubhouses will be open only to players and essential employees of teams and team facilities until further notice. Media access will be maintained in designated locations outside of the locker room and clubhouse setting. These changes will be effective beginning with tomorrow’s games and practices.
“We will continue to closely monitor this situation and take any further steps necessary to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.”
Some teams already started to enforce such measures earlier today:
Closing down locker rooms could just be the tip of the iceberg if the outbreak continues to worsen here in North America.
Saturday morning,
it was canceling the Women's Hockey World Championships due to concerns about the virus. The two-week tournament was scheduled to start on March 31 and take place in
Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.
Overseas, the IIHF canceled another six tournaments, while Switzerland’s top pro leagues (
National League/Swiss League) announced that their postseasons would be postponed for the time being. Late last month,
, many hockey clubs within the country had to play games with zero fans in attendance.
Such drastic measures have indeed been discussed going forward here in the U.S. — with Lakers star
LeBron James
for the time being.
"That’s been tossed around a little bit,” Bergeron. "I know they did it in Europe — in Switzerland, I think. I was talking to (former Bruin)
Jordan Caron.
That'd be tough. We often say that (the fans) are the seventh player. They're the guys that we're playing for. We’re playing for ourselves, for the love of the game. But also, the atmosphere and the energy — they’re’ the ones that are creating it. It'd be a big void. It’d be really tough.”
Caron, who spent over five seasons in the Bruins organization, is in the midst of his first season over in Switzerland — playing for Genève-Servette HC of the National League. While both he and his team are in a holding pattern, Caron didn’t have too many positive things to say about his matchup in an empty barn.
“Felt like a practice," Bergeron said of Caron's impression of the atmosphere. "It was really weird to play those games and hard. It's hard when you’ve never really done that. It’s definitely a different feeling and atmosphere and now they’re waiting right now for the rest.”
Jake DeBrusk
“That kind of brings a good element to the game," DeBrusk added. "Obviously we play for each other in here and for the fans. There’s nothing like the Garden rocking. I guess I have to go back to the minor hockey days when it’s just your family there.”
"It’s hard for me to really comment on something that we don’t know the facts and what’s coming," Bergeron said of such severe scenarios. "I prefer to wait and see on that answer.”
“It’s one of those things where it’s kind of out of your control," Bergeron said. "So right now, it’s listening to the advice we’re given and to the doctors also and to be careful. Obviously a lot of washing your hands and the basics that we all know when it’s flu season. But obviously there’s a lot of unknown that goes with it. Just try to be careful. At the same time, you don’t want to panic either. Obviously you want to stay even keel. That’s it. See what happens. See what unfolds out of it going forward and for now, that’s about it.”
