Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
Gone are the days of subzero temperatures and cell service blackouts for Boston Bruins practices at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Mass., as the B’s have found themselves a new home, right in their backyard, at the new Warrior Ice Arena at the New Balance Headquarters in nearby Brighton.
Ice and stuff. pic.twitter.com/jfefiYzpdF
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) September 8, 2016
But the decision goes entirely beyond cold temps and Wi-Fi connections.
“Probably the most important room is the medical and physical therapy area, which, you saw in Wilmington, was just a shoebox,… B’s president Cam Neely said of the new arena. “It’s very difficult to treat the players the way you’d like to treat them based on the space alone, and the updated equipment and what we’re able to do in this space will make a big difference.…
In a state of the art facility -- complete with a gigantic weight room featuring everything from bikes to artificial turf for sprints, video room, a player’s lounge (with a ping-pong table!), and a treatment area complete with hot tubs, cold soak tubs, and an underwater treadmill -- the B’s clearly put an emphasis on creating an environment the players want to be around, something they did not have with Wilmington's rink.
“Now with this facility, the players are very excited about being in this space a lot more,… Neely continued. “The overall space is the important thing. The whole look and feel of what we’ve tried to accomplish, and the amenities we’re offering. For the players, with the lounge, you’ll see the guys hanging around a little bit more. The PT and medical room, guys will be taking their time in there instead of wanting to get out. This is a more comfortable, relaxing environment.…
One of the big changes the Bruins made includes putting a gigantic spoked-B on the ceiling versus on the floor as part of the room’s carpet, which was its usual place in the TD Garden locker room.
Oh what a feeling, the B is on the ceiling. pic.twitter.com/emPoFLVbHp
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) September 8, 2016
“I never liked to put the jersey on the floor, so I don’t know why the logo was on the floor,… Neely said. “And the whole concern about people stepping on it seemed to take up a lot of energy.…
Neely and the Bruins scouted several areas, but ultimately found a home in what New Balance and the City of Boston are hoping to become the city’s next big go-to areas for people of all interests.
“The proximity to the Garden was important,… Neely said of the new facility, which is located about five miles from TD Garden. “What this development turns into is going to be pretty special, too.…
On top of becoming home to the B’s practices (and likely the morning skates as the Garden goes through renovations of their own), the complex will also become the practice home of the Boston Celtics, in addition to residencies, an MBTA stop, and an independently owned hotel, as well.
The Bruins open rookie camp in the facility on Sept. 15 while main camp begins on Sept. 22.
Ty Anderson has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, has been a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter since 2013, and can also be read in the New England Hockey Journal magazine. Contact him on Twitter or send him an email at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.