Inside Avalanche Edmonton “bubble life”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – As of yet, none of the three floors that the Colorado Avalanche players and 51-person traveling party commandeer at the J.W. Marriott have been adorned with team-logo carpeting like the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing at their hotel. They look like any three other floors, and everybody in the traveling party has their own room and are forbidden from visiting any other.

That doesn’t mean players won’t be able to spend plenty of time together out of their rooms, though. In their “bubble area” of the hotel includes a gigantic player lounge/common area with ping-pong tables, cornhole, a big-screen TV, a microwave and a big fridge. Masks are proper social distancing is encouraged for players even in the bubble, evidenced by the fact that no more than two players at a time can occupy an elevator together. Then there are the 14 restaurants that are part of the bubble, not to mention a few movie theaters and 13 fitness centers. Players have towels in their rooms, but they can only use them once and then toss them in a bag for the hallway because of local COVID-19 protocol.