Image result for bruins holiday toy shopping(Photo Credit: Boston Globe)

By: Evan Michael | Follow me on Twitter @00EvanMichael
The Boston Bruins always make the holidays happy when area kids in need are hoping for a happy holiday.
Each year, the team heads to a local Walmart (this time in Saugus, MA) and stocks up –Santa-style– on tons and tons of toys for good girls and boys being treated at children’s hospitals across the community. This year, players hope to reach 600 kids when they deliver the gifts just before Christmas.

Quoted from WHDH:
“This is probably the thing we look forward to the most throughout the year.” — Brad Marchand.
“Finding that time a few weeks before Christmas to get some toys for the kids, you know, I think obviously if a child or anybody has to spend the holidays in the hospital, it’s tough.” — Tuukka Rask
“It will make us feel good but even better when we hand out those toys and gifts to the children and families who probably won’t be able to be home for Christmas.” — Zdeno Chara

This annual tradition holds a very special place in most of the B’s hearts but also serves as a steadfast reminder as to how they celebrate the spirit of the giving season.

Image result for bruins holiday toy shopping(Photo Credit: NHL.com)

The 2019 Holiday Toy Drive marks the 10th time B’s “Co-Captain” Patrice Bergeron has spearheaded the popularly positive event. He took the reigns from former Black N’ Gold Hall-of-Famer Ray Bourque.
It’s hard for other players not to take part when such history and personality are “B”-hind it, especially the younger stars.

Quoted from NESN:
“The toy it says 4+ but I’d love it now and I’m 23 so I’m getting it [for a kid like me]. Now moving on for a couple more gifts.” — David Pastrnak
“I think this is probably one of my favorite things that we do. Obviously the Bruins Foundation and the organization does a great job of involving us in the community and this one is just awesome.” — Charlie McAvoy
“For us just to pick out, you know, some fun things that children will eventually get to open on Christmas and to have some fun with that… it’s a thrill.” — Torey Krug

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfNiE9nxUrA?start=99]

Of course, the toy drive doesn’t come without toying around with your fellow generous teammates, as Torey Krug proved in the video clip above. He said he’d like to get B’s forward Brad Marchand a “step stool” for Christmas to help him reach things in the cupboards.
Marchy defensively fired back at the defenseman that he’s not even worth the coal in his stocking this year. Krug’s getting a “whole lotta nothing” this holiday season, he quipped.
While those two have always been on each other’s naughty lists, thankfully hundreds of kids who can’t make it home for the holidays made the B’s nice one. And that’s a surefire way to make this festive time of the year even brighter for those who shine the brightest –the children.
“We just try to do whatever we can to help and kind of cheer them up,” as Tuukka Rask told 7 News in Boston. “It’s a great tradition.”
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