HONORABLE MENTION: @MLoftus_Ledger (Mike Loftus, The Patriot Ledger): Might have been in error about #NHLBruins' Ryan Donato being at captains practice. Not sure I'll count it as first official error of '18-19, as this is "informal."
BOSTON BRUINS FOUNDATION, SPECIAL OLYMPICS JOIN FORCES: The Boston Bruins Foundation will donate $1 million over the course of the next three years to Special Olympics Massachusetts as part of a new partnership between the Bruins Foundation and Special Olympics Massachusetts. This marks the largest donation by the Boston Bruins Foundation to date. CEO of Delaware North's Boston Holdings Charlie Jacobs formally announced the partnership at TD Garden on Tuesday, August 28 at 1:00 p.m and President and CEO of Special Olympics Massachusetts Mary Beth McMahon was on hand to accept a check for $1 million from the Bruins. Special Olympic athletes and current Bruins players Tuukka Rask and Matt Grzelyck were also in attendance. Beyond the $1 million commitment, the Bruins Foundation and Special Olympics Massachusetts will join forces to involve Special Olympics athletes in a variety of initiatives to promote inclusion and overall health and wellness. The annual Boston Bruins Foundation golf tournament on Tuesday, September 4 will mark the start of the partnership.
MARTIN RICHARD FOUNDATION 8K: The Martin Richard Foundation, in partnership with TD Garden, the Boston Bruins Foundation and Dave McGillivray Sports Enterprises (DMSE), present the first annual MR8K. The MR8K race will be held on Labor Day - Monday, September 3, 2018 - and is the first-ever, five-mile course (8K) that will bring participants beneath TD Garden's storied rafters, home of 23 championship banners (the most in the country), and will feature a finish line at Boston Bruins center ice. Registration is now closed.
BOSTON BRUINS FOUNDATION ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT: The Boston Bruins Foundation is holding its 15th Annual Golf Tournament on Tuesday, September 4 at The International in Bolton, MA. The tournament will include approximately 275 golfers including Boston Bruins management, coaching staff, alumni and players from the active Boston Bruins roster. Celebrities will be paired with a foursome and play 18-holes on one of two courses. Tickets for this event are sold out, and all proceeds from the event will benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation and the Boston Bruins Alumni Association.
Part of this event includes a Helicopter Ball Drop. On the day of the tournament, a helicopter will drop purchased golf balls above a green. Two black golf balls will be placed in the bottom of the hole and whichever golf ball dropped is closest to the pin or the first one to enter the hole will be deemed the winner of the $5000 grand prize. All proceeds raised will benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation. All winners will be selected on Tuesday, September 4. Winners will be determined by the order in which the golf balls drop into the hole - 1st place: $5000; 2nd place: two tickets to the Home Opener on Monday, October 8; 3rd place: one autographed Boston Bruins jersey. Golf balls no longer on sale.
BOSTON BRUINS ROOKIE CAMP/PROSPECTS CHALLENGE: The 2018 Boston Bruins Rookie Camp opens Wednesday, September 5 at Warrior Ice Arena. The Bruins rookies will participate in the 2018 Prospects Challenge from September 7-10 at HarborCenter in Buffalo (100 Washington St., Buffalo, NY 14203). This marks the fourth consecutive year the Bruins have participated in the challenge. The Bruins defeated Pittsburgh (3-2) and New Jersey (7-4) in last year's Prospects Challenge. Bruins prospects who participated in last year's tournament and also played in at least one regular season game with Boston in 2017-18 include forwards Anders Bjork, Jake Debrusk, Danton Heinen, Sean Kuraly, and defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy.
The Bruins' rookies will compete against the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils' rookies in the round-robin challenge featuring prospects from each team. The event is being held entirely at HarborCenter. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the Sabres Box Office at the KeyBank Center, online at Sabres.com or by calling 1-(888)-223-6000.
LANGENBRUNNER NAMED COACH AT 2018 USA HOCKEY ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME: Boston Bruins Director of Player Development Jamie Langenbrunner was named head coach of the 2018 USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on September 19 in at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The event will feature 42 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, with puck drop slated for 8 p.m. ET. This is the first coaching gig for Minnesota native Langenbrunner, and he will faceoff against former teammate Jordan Leopold, the other coach of this event. Tickets for the game are available online at Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office.
BEHIND THE B SEASON 6 PREMIERE: The New England Emmy Award winning series returns again this season to give fans an exclusive inside look at everything Black & Gold. In the Season 6 premiere, Don Sweeney and the front office reshape the roster through free agency and the draft, prospects compete on and off the ice at Development Camp, Anders Bjork returns to Notre Dame, the site of the 2019 Winter Classic, and Zdeno Chara hits the ice in Europe for a good cause.
NEXT EPISODE: Season 6, Episode 1: Monday, September 10, 1 p.m. on NESN
BRUINS ACADEMY THE SHOW: The New England Emmy Award winning series is a fast-paced, educational, Black & Gold-themed program created for youth who love the game of hockey. One 30-minute episode will air each month on NESN, and the first eight episodes of this season can viewed on www.BostonBruins.com/BruinsAcademy and on the Bruins mobile app. In Episode 8, some of the players learned about virtual reality hockey, Ryan Donato demonstrates a new shooting drill and Bruins alum PJ Axelsson checks in. To watch episode 8, visit www.bostonbruins.com/BruinsAcademy.
NEXT EPISODE: Season 3, Episode 9: Wednesday, September 5, 4:30 pm on NESN following Red Sox coverage
BRUINS ACADEMY THE APP: Bruins Academy is part of the Bruins' ongoing mission to encourage positive youth development through the sport of hockey. To join the club, download the new mobile app designed specifically for kids called Bruins Academy presented by Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. The app has built-in safety features that provide a safe experience for kids to connect with each other and their favorite team. In the new Bruins Academy app, kids can explore exclusive team content, create their own avatar, learn educational tips, test their trivia skills, and participate in challenges.
To download go to BostonBruins.com/BruinsAcademy.
BRUINS ACADEMY LEARN TO PLAY PROGRAM: The Boston Bruins are excited to continue and grow the Bruins Academy Learn to Play presented by Pure Hockey (previously called "Little Bruins") to help aspiring, youth hockey players develop their skills. For the first time this season, the program is expanding to over 80 locations across New England and over 5,000 youth players will have the opportunity participate. The program is available to boys and girls ages 4-9. For a registration fee of $100, the program includes a full free set of CCM equipment to keep valued at $500 retail, which includes skates, a professional personalized fitting, and four weeks of on-ice instruction led by certified coaches. The Boston Bruins are thrilled to share their passion for hockey with the next generation of hockey players. This year, $2,500,000 (retail value) worth of equipment will be donated through this program. The program debuted in 2014 with just six locations and 300 participants and has grown each year since. To date, over 2,000 local youth have participated in the Bruins Academy Learn to Play program. For more information and to learn how you can sign up your child, visit BostonBruins.com/LearnToPlay.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS: Single Game Tickets for the 2018-19 season are on sale now. To purchase, go to BostonBruins.com/SingleGameTickets or the NHL Bruins mobile app.
SUITE RENTALS: Enjoy the Bruins from the privacy of your own suite! Suites accommodate 18 to 21 guests and include an exclusive entrance with early access, upscale ambiance and HD televisions, private restroom and living room, access to The Sports Museum and in-suite catering options. Suite rentals are ideal for group outings, birthday parties, bachelor or bachelorette parties and more. Choose the right suite for you by visiting BostonBruins.com/Suites to see full options or call 617-624-1847 to purchase yours.
GROUPS ONSALE: Group Ticket Packages on sale for the 2018-19 Bruins season. Group Ticket Packages offer a unique opportunity for you to enjoy a game with friends, colleagues, or teams. These experiences include birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, client events, and team outings. Choose the package that's right for you. Visit BostonBruins.com/Groups to purchase yours.
3-GAME PLANS ONSALE: Become a 3-Game Plan Holder this season and enjoy all the benefits. Save an average of $600 off Box Office prices, pay no facility fee when you secure your 3-Game Plan, have access to 2019 Stanley Cup® Playoff tickets before they go on sale to the general public and access to purchase a Legends Membership, open before and after every game. 3-Game Plans on sale now - visit BostonBruins.com/GamePlans or call 617-624-BEAR (2347) to purchase.
BRUINS ON SOCIAL: If you don't already, be sure to follow the Boston Bruins on all social channels:
Twitter: @NHLBruins
Facebook: Boston Bruins
Snapchat: bruinsnhl
Instagram: nhlbruins
BRUINS UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday, September 1
-TBD
Sunday, September 2
-TBD
Monday, September 3 (TD Garden, Boston, MA)
-Martin Richards Foundation 8K (MR8K)
-Race starts, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, September 4 (The International, Bolton, MA)
-Boston Bruins Foundation 15th Annual Golf Tournament
Wednesday, September 5 (Warrior Ice Arena, Boston, MA)
-Boston Bruins 2018 Rookie Camp, presented by AT&T opens (Warrior Ice Arena, Boston, MA)
Thursday, September 6 (HarborCenter, Buffalo, NY)
-Travel to Buffalo
Friday, September 7 (HarborCenter, Buffalo, NY)
-Pittsburgh vs. Boston, 3:30 p.m.
