How the Bruins are adjusting to 'new normal' at Warrior Ice Arena

These days, there really isn't all that much that looks different by the time the Bruins step back on the sheet at Warrior Ice Arena. 

Sure, the club hasn’t received the green light to incorporate a full squad — with coaches — on the ice quite yet. But for the eight confirmed players that have taken advantage of Phase 2 of the NHL’s “Return to Play” plan, getting back on the ice stands as the closest return to normalcy in months. 

“I've been skating with Par (Lindholm) and Zdeno (Chara),” John Moore said. “The night before, we'll get together and devise a practice plan — the three of us — and talk about what we want out of each skate. And that focus has been really good for the three of us and we've gotten a lot out of the skate so far. ...It's awesome to be back on the ice. I think my wife loves just having me out of the house, if I'm being totally honest.”

But beyond these voluntary, non-contact skates, there isn’t a whole lot that’s normal whenever the Bruins make their way over to Warrior Ice Arena these days. 

Before getting out on the ice, players must complete regular temperature checks to gain clearance to the facilities, while testing for COVID-19 was necessary before getting the green light for Phase 2. Those testing protocols — expected to be held twice a week for participating players — is only expected to ramp up even further once Phases 3 and 4 are implemented. 

While only non-player personnel on the ice were spotted with masks on over the first few days of Phase 2, athletes must adhere to the same social distancing guidelines off the ice — with six feet of separation required in the locker room and masks necessitated when not exercising. 

Add in smaller changes to practices such as individual water bottles and lids for each player on the bench and 12oz bottles of Aquafina and Gatorade in the penalty box, and one thing becomes abundantly clear. 

NHL hockey in the time of COVID-19 is going to look very, very different from anything these players have seen before — and that’s long before they even begin playoff campaigns in front of empty, neutral-site arenas. 

But for Moore, the extra hoops to jump through — whether it be testing, masks, sanitization requirements and more — aren’t going away any time soon. As such, the only option on the table is for players to adapt to the “new normal” that will be required to usher sports back into our everyday lives. 

“It's different, for sure,” Moore said.  “But that's the world we live in now. You could go blue in the face complaining about it, but at the end of the day, they have our best interests in mind. It's really about adjusting and it's something we've talked about as a group — the teams that will have the most success will be the most comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

“You don't let any of that distract you from the work that needs to be done. Again, for everyone's safety, you come in, you take your temperature, you do your testing, but then you go to work, you get on the ice, you go in the weight room, and it's just like it was before. So there's certain freckles here and there with the process, but you're learning them and you're adapting and I guess that's really what it's all about with COVID and the new world that we now live in.”

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With regular coaches unable to observe — much less participate — in these voluntary workouts, the onus falls on the players and the staff that are present at the rink to set the parameters at to what to focus on during these on-ice sessions. 

With Phase 3 (full training camps) set to get underway on July 10, Moore and many other players are focusing most of their efforts on just re-engaging muscles that have laid dormant for months during the season's stoppage — with the work done this month a necessary step to prepare for the rapid ramp-up in work that's scheduled to begin the following month. 

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"Zdeno is great on that and we lean on him, because obviously he's been around for so long," Moore said of planning these workouts. "You want to make sure, first of all, that you're not exposing yourself to a serious injury. And I think, secondly, you're getting (back on) your feet and putting yourself in the best possible scenario to peak when the games start. But right now, our focus has just been a reintroduction to the ice and getting used to it. But also, our training stuff, we have Ken Whittier, the assistant performance coach, who has put together a program for us. We have full faith in him and Kevin Neeld, the head strength coach, that they'll get us in the right place come July 10, and onwards."

While the last two weeks have been far from how any NHLer had envisioned their summer would play out, Moore believes it won't take very long for players to fall in line and adhere to the strict guidelines put in place.

A few minor inconveniences and adjustments pale in comparison to the piece of mind that comes from maintaining a safe environment for all parties — and will stand as the primary determinant on whether or not 24 teams will finally be able to see the 2019-20 season through this summer/fall.

"I think once you're there, you can't help but think about the virus  — with just the precautions that are in place for everyone's safety," Moore said. "But once you're on the ice, it's just like anything else. You're obviously missing the volume of the guys, but we've been very structured and disciplined in our approach — both in the weight room and on the ice — which has helped in terms of focus and attention when we're at the facility."

Moore added: "You can't kind of get blinded by the trees in the forest here, we still have an amazing opportunity to go and compete for a Stanley Cup and we're very grateful for that — understanding some of the challenges in the real world that exists and how lucky we are to go out and play a game hopefully soon here. "