Golden Knights embrace difficulty of life inside the bubble

In the past week, one player left the NHL bubble in Toronto, one coach openly questioned whether his players wanted to be there and another coach detailed the struggle he’s had maintaining a stable and healthy mentality.

The extraordinary circumstances under which the postseason is being conducted have presented challenges to everyone involved, whether it’s time away from family or the specter of working during a global health crisis.

But the Golden Knights are doing all they can to make the best of the situation.

“Even on the worst day in here, there’s all the hockey you can watch and all the beer you can drink,” coach Pete DeBoer said, “so it’s not a bad day.”

The Knights haven’t played since their series-clinching victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday and will meet the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 1 is 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

DeBoer said the team took two days off to heal bumps and bruises that emerged in the first round.

The league arranged for the Knights to spend Thursday at Blackhawk Golf Club just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, for 18 holes of rest and relaxation. They returned to practice Friday.

“The golfing, it was fun to just get out and be out of the hotel and out of the bubble for a bit,” forward Chandler Stephenson said. “I mean, we were still in the bubble. The bubble just moved. It was fun to be out with the guys.”

However, not everyone has adjusted to being sequestered in Edmonton and Toronto, regardless of the league’s efforts to make life as normal as possible.

Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask was candid in his struggle to be motivated for games being played in empty arenas and left the Bruins Aug. 15. It’s since been revealed by team president Cam Neely that Rask returned home “to deal with a family emergency.”

After Arizona was blasted 7-1 by Colorado in Game 4, Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said his team looked like it wanted to go home and noted motivation may be as much of a factor this postseason as talent.

“This whole bubble thing,” he said, “it’s about who wants to stay.”

Following Dallas’ victory over Calgary on Thursday, Stars interim coach Rick Bowness provided an honest assessment of his time in the bubble since the teams arrived July 26.

Bowness described days where he never went outside. The hotel is connected to Rogers Place by a tunnel, and Bowness believes the bubble environment has contributed to some of the “emotional swings” in games.

Dallas fell behind 3-0 in the first period Thursday and roared back with seven unanswered goals to clinch the series.

“I did read Rick’s comments, and you have good days and bad days,” DeBoer said. “It’s definitely not normal life. At the same time, we try and remind ourselves every day to embrace it. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”

The mental grind could only get more difficult the deeper teams go in the postseason. That is part of the reason the Knights created a “fun committee” to organize team activities.

The return-to-play agreement between the NHL and the players’ association allows for family members to join players and staff in Edmonton starting with the conference finals.

However, the protocol to enter the bubble, such as a four-day quarantine and four negative COVID-19 tests for anyone who flies commercial, could impede many families from traveling.

In the meantime, the Golden Knights do their best to persevere.

“It’s kind of to the point where it’s just natural,” Stephenson said of the bubble environment. ”Every day from when we started the playoffs, it just felt more normal. Every day that went by, it’s the new norm now. Everybody’s comfortable.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.