Boston Bruins forward Alex Steeves knows the Olympic break will be good for him and the entire team.
For the players who didn’t participate in the Olympics, it was a chance to go on a vacation and get some much-needed rest due to the condensed schedule. Steeves, who’s in his first full NHL season with the Bruins, believes the break was great for him as a mental reset as well.
“I think it’s really important,” Steeves said after practice on Thursday. “The schedule has been a bear, and it’s going to be a bear right when we pick back up here. As players, you get used to it, but you also fight to avoid things like burnout and fatigue and stuff like that.”
“I think for a lot of guys – guys who play heavy minutes, but also guys like me, for example, finding my way in my rookie year – it was good to take a step back and let the body and mind rest a bit. But also reinvigorate yourself and get excited to get back into it for hopefully a really good last part of the year.”
Steeves has made an impact for the Bruins this season, as he’s recorded nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 38 games. His success has led Boston to give him a two-year, $3.25 million deal.
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm, meanwhile, echoed Steeves’ words as he expects the break to benefit his team, especially with them being so young and new to the NHL.
“I think it’s really good for them,” Sturm said. “It’s almost like a summer break for them. Regroup. Now they know exactly what to expect, and that’s why I’m going to keep it very similar to training camp, so there are no questions anymore.
“Now they're actually just free; just play the game. They know exactly what to do. It’s a lot of them, being consistent. I think it’s the biggest challenge you have as a young kid. Guys did, overall, a really good job.”
Boston will return to the ice at home on Feb. 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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