Pens Receive Details on What to Expect in the Bubble

NHL executives recently took players, coaches and club staff through a comprehensive presentation detailing the various facets of life in each of the two hub cities beginning next week.
"We've got all the details we can possibly have at this point," winger Jason Zucker said. "We're all just preparing the best we can, trying to make sure things are settled at home and trying to make sure we're settled as a team and that we have everything we need."

"We're planning on being there for quite a while, and so we're just trying to get as prepared as we can and make sure we're ready for any challenges that come with it."

The Penguins' traveling party - which will be a maximum of 52 people, including up to 31 players - is set to leave on Sunday for Toronto, which will host the 12 Eastern Conference teams while Edmonton will host the 12 Western Conference clubs.
The top five teams in the Eastern Conference by points percentage - Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh - will be staying at Hotel X, which is about a 10-minute drive from Scotiabank Arena.
The rest of the Eastern Conference teams will be staying at the Fairmont Royal York, which is downtown and has a secure walking path that will take players directly to Scotiabank Arena.

Here are some more details on the Penguins' living arrangements in their bubble…
- Hotel X will feature designated team meeting rooms, meal rooms and training areas. Their expansive fitness facilities include a gym, squash courts, tennis courts and spinning, pilates and hot yoga studios; while Hotel X's many other amenities include a TopGolf Swing Suite, rooftop swimming pool and movie theater.
"The team and the league are doing a great job of making sure we have things at the hotel," Zucker said. "We have lounges for the guys to be able to relax and get out of their rooms a little bit. We're just trying to make sure that everything from our own end and our own rooms is taken care of, and then the rest the league and the team are doing a great job of taking care of for us."
The NHL plans on doing the best it can to keep the teams separated within the hotel, per requests from the players - though there are common areas where that might be impossible.
"We really have felt from the players' feedback is that it's in their interest to be separated throughout," said Steve Mayer, the NHL's Chief Content Officer and Senior Executive VP of Events and Entertainment. "We'll see how that evolves as the tournament moves on."
- Hotel X is located on the grounds of a massive property called Exhibition Place, which will have a fencing system running through to keep everyone inside the bubble secure and away from the general public.
The property also features BMO Field - home to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. BMO Field will be activated for both indoor and outdoor activities.
That means players will be able to exercise outside, like using the soccer fields and running the stairs and playing tennis if they wish. There will even be pickleball courts, much to the delight of Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.
"Once we get in, probably every time we have a chance we'll try to get some fresh air," defenseman Kris Letang said.
- The players will be able to use BMO Field for game viewing and dining options, and all in all, there are a total of 14 total on-site restaurants, bars, pubs and coffee shops.
The NHL is also working closely with local delivery services to set up a concierge service that will be exclusive to the players and staff, where they can order takeout from local restaurants along with goods from grocery stores, pharmacies and department stores.
"They have doubled their capacity to be able to serve our players and our staff," Mayer said. "So there will be that connection to outside our bubble through food and some of the goods."
As of right now, health officials in Ontario are telling the league they would prefer that everyone stays in the bubble and stays protected, so outside excursions are prohibited in Toronto for now.
- All practices in Toronto will take place at Ford Performance Centre, the Maple Leafs training facility that has four rinks. It also has 12 team-dedicated dressing and medical rooms for clubs to use for the duration.
All games will of course take place at Scotiabank Area, which has four locker rooms: the Maple Leafs room, the visiting NHL room and two pop-up rooms. It also features four interior premium club spaces, boxes and amenities.
- And of course, at the end of the day, the most important thing is the health and safety of everybody involved as the league navigates this new normal. Click here for the details on the Phase 4 protocol.
"Paramount in everything we've done to date and everything we will do moving forward is the health and well-being of all NHL personnel, starting with players and coaches and all of the supporting people that are necessary for us to play our games," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. "This is going to be an unusual endeavor, to say the least. It will be challenging at times. But I assure you, we in conjunction with the Players' Association - who we've worked with every step of the way - are trying to do everything possible to make this an experience hopefully you'll never forget, in a good way."