NHL Notebook: How will Bruins, other Cup contenders co-exist under 1 roof up in Toronto? 'Learn to hate' might be Rule No. 1

The task at hand remains at the forefront for a motivated Bruins club, but Saturday's final practice at Warrior Ice Arena — signifying the end of Phase 3 work stateside — was met with much more than the usual palpable excitement that courses through a dressing room in the days ahead of another Cup run.

Yes, the 2019-20 Bruins are heading up to Toronto Sunday evening fixated on a chance to rewrite last year's narrative, but Saturday's skate and subsequent departure from their Brighton facility also signaled the start of the new, bittersweet reality players must accept once Phase 4 gets underway — with every player, coach, executive, trainer, etc. set to spend what could be months north of the border without their families.

"I think that's the toughest thing with today — knowing that it's our last day with our families for potentially 10 weeks," Brad Marchand said Saturday morning.  "I think guys are more looking at that part of it than the excitement of leaving. ... Nobody wants to be away from their families for that long and it's gonna be really daunting at times and we're gonna get home sick and lonesome.

"But it's part of the job. Maybe it's not what we expected, but you have to go through some adversity sometimes. At the end of the day, that's sometimes where you find the biggest reward and the team that wins this is going to feel that and every other team's gonna wish they didn't come. But at the same time, it's worth the reward at the end of the day and that's why we're going."

The circumstances and concessions might be far from ideal, but based on the most recent information released by the league, the NHL has left no stone unturned when it comes to keeping its hundreds of players entertained — and safe — upon their arrival in Toronto and Edmonton on Sunday evening.

In a virtual presentation released Thursday, the NHL offered a deluge of information about what all 24 playoff teams can expect once up in the "bubble" over in Toronto and Edmonton — with the 12 Eastern Conference clubs set to spend their days primarily at either Hotel X or the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto.





Toronto's "Phase 4 Secure Zone" will have plenty to keep players entertained during the many hours not spent on the ice, with the neighboring BMO Field — home to both the CFL's Toronto Argonauts and MLS' Toronto FC — set to be repurposed for "outdoor recreational activities". Add in 14 "on-site diverse restaurants, bars, pubs and coffee shops" and eight "tennis courts, golf suites, movie theaters and fitness studios" and it doesn't seem as though players are going to be spending most of their nights stuck in their rooms without much to do.

Well, I suppose it could depend on who else might taking part in said activities. The Bruins — already one of the closest-knit crews in the NHL — will likely take advantage of whatever common rooms or team-centric spaces are reserved in their new residence, Hotel X, for the next couple of weeks, at the minimum.

But what happens when they stroll through the lobby or walk by the tennis courts and spot a player from another Eastern Conference contender?

Don't expect much in terms of pleasantries.



The Bruins will share Hotel X with the Lightning, Capitals, Flyers and Penguins during their stay in Toronto, while the Fairmont Royal York will house the Hurricanes, Islanders, Rangers, Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets, Panthers and Canadiens.

(In Edmonton, the JW Marriott will house the Blues, Avalanche, Golden Knights, Stars, Oilers and Predators — while the Sutton Place Hotel will play host to the Canucks, Flames, Jets, Wild, Coyotes and Blackhawks.)

As such, the Bruins are well aware that many of the same fellas they spent the previous night chirping, battling and trading blows with on the ice could all of the sudden be lounging at the pickleball court the following afternoon.

Torey Krug's circle of friends around the NHL expands far beyond his teammates in Boston's dressing room, but for however long Boston is sharing a living space with clubs like the Caps and Bolts, don't expect much in terms of well wishes during choice encounters in the hallways and elevators.

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"I don't have any interest," Krug said of fraternizing with the enemy. "We're going into this bubble with a job to do and we're going up there for a purpose. It's very tough to be on the ice against a team and opposing players and you're going to war with them every single night ... and then to see guys outside of the the rink? It's tough to do. I think I speak for most guys in our room that we're going up there - just trying to stay together as a group collectively and they'll be time to hang out and interact with those guys at different time. But I think that's fairly true across the board and across the league, most guys would probably say the same thing."

Patrice Bergeron, who has some experience in shared living arrangements during days at the Olympics and World Cup of Hockey, opted to take a more civil approached when posed with the same scenario.

"I think I'll just handle it the same way that I always do. "Saying 'Hi' doesn't mean that you're not gonna compete on the ice," Bergeron said. "With the situation and everything that has been going on, I think it's just trying to be yourself, be respectful and that's it. It's no different than the Olympics or the World Cup for that matter where you're seeing a lot of your opponents at the hotels or the (Olympic) Village."

If Saturday's practice was any indication, don't expect an already beloved figure in Marchand to play nice once Boston makes it up the bubble. The two-time reigning Best (and Worst) Trash Talker in the NHL has already had some fun at the expense of his teammates at Warrior — flexing on Chris Wagner after dropping him to the ice during a drill.

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Already in prime playoff form, don't expect Marchand to be the one leading any campfire singalongs with the opposition during those long nights up in the "bubble".

"Not at all," Marchand said of any interactions with opposing teams. "I think once we get into that, teams are gonna really stay away from one another. ... You see a group of guys, you kind of walk the other way. Especially during playoff time, if you're matched up against any team and they're in the hotel? I mean, you're going to build a hate for that team pretty quickly. You're not going to want to be anywhere near them in the hotel.

"We're going to have our own areas and common rooms and stuff like that. And I think guys are going to spend the majority of time in there together and try to do what they can to stay away from the other teams. I don't think you're going to see too many teams intermingle throughout this. ... You're up there to win and to do what it takes. And to get to that point, you got to learn to hate pretty quick and that's what playoffs is all about."

What to pack?

There's no all-encompassing checklist that players, coaches and staff can adhere to to make themselves fully prepared for this potentially months-long trip north of the border. As such, every player has offered a pretty unique answer when it comes to what they're bringing up to Hotel X — and what they're going to do to counter those days and nights stuck in their rooms.

Jake DeBrusk: “Obviously I'm probably gonna bring my Xbox, definitely my computer. I'm actually thinking about possibly getting a guitar.... I'm trying to learn how to play. I know that Marchy and Jeremy (Lauzon) know how to play it, so we're gonna have lots of time. To be honest with you, I gamed a lot. I want to say like fresh out of quarantine, I'm kind of bored of it. So I'm definitely looking for different things to do.”

Anders Bjork: "I think we were brainstorming for games and stuff like that. … I've been talking to some guys about books — I think bringing a couple of books would be cool to do, it was something I'm planning on doing, especially to get off watching TV and off the phone and stuff like that. So those are the two things on my list right now. I still don't really know yet. I'm trying to figure out I don't know how many pairs of shoes I want to bring. I think that's my main concern, because I do like my shoes.”

Jaroslav Halak: “If I have to choose between a book or movie — I'm more of a movie guy. But I'm gonna bring books with me on this trip. I want to read them. And we'll see how that's gonna go for me.”

Brad Marchand: "I think the team's gonna put a room together where there's a majority of the stuff that we're going to need — cards, video games, board games, pool table, ping-pong table, whatever it is. I'm sure that there's gonna be a set-up like that up there. And then I'm sure I'll just bring some books and maybe some board games that I like to play at home or my guitar, I try to play around with that thing a little bit. And then I might try to read some books or get back to school — maybe do something like that. An online course or something — something to better my mind during this whole thing. 

“But the clothing aspect, I mean, that's going to be tough. You might have to plan for the summertime and then the fall and then if you're in Edmonton in the Final in October — you could have a foot and a half of snow, so it's gonna be tough to plan for that. But I think we're going to be able to order some stuff into the hotel and get boxes in if needed, so I'll probably pack light and maybe some sweatshirts and sweatpants and that'd be good in the snow.”

As for what kind of online courses?

"I'd like to get into some business stuff outside of hockey — I have an interest in that, my family's grown up in that. So I'd like to learn a lot more in that area. … I try to further my mind in that area.”

Bruce Cassidy: “Well, nowadays, all your books are on your iPad for the most part, you can download them. So I know that's that's much easier than the old days where you had to physically bring — especially a guy like me, I like to read. I guess it’s understanding what's available to you there. I think guys in their spare time do different things. But for the most part, now, it's all on your computer. I don't know if they bring their console for gaming, and I mean that seriously. There will be free time to do that. … At the end of the day, I think we're going to be watching a lot of hockey every day, to be honest with you. So we'll be in front of a TV, in front of our computer breaking down some video. So for the coaches, it's pretty straightforward. 

“The simple stuff like socks and underwear that we'll have access to — we better. A washing machine. The interesting thing is — I know it's a little thing — but typically during the year you have a number of suits. Well, you're not going to bring your whole wardrobe. So I'm going to get critiqued for looking like I'm wearing the same thing every day and they're probably going to be accurate, because I'm not bringing 10 different suits. … All those things, matching the right stuff, so it's gonna be a pretty generic wardrobe. Hopefully I come out of it with a lucky tie or two.”

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As of right now — we're still waiting for confirmation about whether or not Pastrnak will be on the team charter up to Toronto Sunday. If so, expect a few gems like this outfit above to trek up with him.

Another social media war? 

With the Bruins stuck in the bubble for a number of weeks, could a few longtime teammates opt to pass the time with a few chirps on social media?

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So far, Torey Krug hasn't heard much from Brad Marchand — but he's keeping his head on a swivel.

“I think he's just invested in his little hunting company there,” Krug said. “So maybe he's a little distracted, but hopefully I can catch him here with his head down in the bubble or something. We'll come up with something good."