#BruinsGlobal: Clinics Conclude in Beijing

BEIJING- The Bruins wrapped up the final clinics in Beijing on Friday at the O.R.G. Packaging Rink. The crew next heads to Shanghai to run three more days of clinics for the 10-day "Bruins Global: China 2017" trip, presented by O.R.G. Packaging.
Torey Krug, David Pastrnak, Tuukka Rask and Hal Gill have been enjoying the time on and off the ice with the kids, as well as the sightseeing around Beijing. All week, more than 100 youth hockey players have been split into two age groups, and alternating between on-ice sessions and off-ice training.
"It's been great. The kids are really excited to be on the ice and they're eager to learn," said Krug. "So it's been easy to get out there and teach them."

The trip's purpose is to help grow the sport of hockey in China, strengthen the connection between the Bruins and the local Chinese community in New England, and educate others about the growth of hockey in China.
The Bruins entered into a partnership with O.R.G. Packaging in 2015. Throughout the past two years, the B's have made two visits to China to teach on-ice clinics and off-ice training to hundreds of kids. In addition, Chinese youth hockey players have also visited Boston during the season to participate in Clincs, explore the city of Boston, and watched Bruins' home games.
By the conclusion of the Bruins' 2017 trip, over 450 Chinese youth hockey players will have participated in the various clinics held by the organization.
"We taught them some puck skills, some skating skills, and the importance of off-ice training, and hopefully they can take some lessons home with them," Krug said of their clinics in Beijing.

The players spent all week in Beijing, enjoying the time on and off the ice with the kids, even if there was a language barrier.
"It was good," smiled Gill. "The language barrier with the little guys was tough, so we had to teach them what spread out means, but the older kids are really skilled. The younger kids are getting there, and it's pretty impressive a lot of the footwork that they do - a lot of the stuff we're coaching them and teaching them, they pick up pretty quick. It's a promising thing over here."

In addition to the clinics, the players and staff have also done sightseeing around China, and have experienced the local culture and cuisine.
"We got a little taste of the culture, which was pretty cool. We saw the emperor's summer home, which was nice. It's a different world over here - I mean, I ate a whole duck, everything, including the feet, so I don't know where else you can go to do that," laughed Gill. "But we're really enjoying it and taking in everything that we can."

After Beijing, the group was headed to Shanghai for three more days of clinics for local youth hockey players before traveling back home.
"I'm excited to get to Shanghai," said Krug. "We've had a lot of great experiences here in Beijing, and tried a lot of cool different things, and we'll see what it's like in Shanghai."
View more photos below of the Bruins' time in Beijing.

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Stay updated throughout the "Bruins Global: China 2017" trip, presented by O.R.G. Packaging, on BostonBruins.com, and by following the Bruins on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and by following the hashtag #BruinsGlobal.
This marks the Bruins' second official visit to China to help grow the sport of hockey in China, strengthen the connection between the Bruins and the local Chinese community in New England, and educate others about the growth of hockey in China.
In 2015, the Bruins entered into a partnership with the Chinese packaging company, O.R.G. Packaging, which hosts the organization in China. Throughout the past two years, the B's have made two visits to China to teach on-ice clinics and off-ice training to hundreds of kids. In addition, Chinese youth hockey players have also visited Boston during the season to participate in clinics, explore the city of Boston, and watch Bruins' home games.
The Bruins' 2016 trip to China was featured in the Bruins television show, Behind the B, which airs locally on NESN. The episode, which chronicled the organization's trip, won the 2017 New England Emmy Award for Best Sports Series. The episode can be watched by clicking here.