Brian Boyle had a funny way of describing the Penguins’ flight to Calgary on Sunday to kick off the team’s four-game swing through Western North America this week.

“It’s nice to get together, hop on the ‘bird’ and check in and go for dinners if you can,” the veteran Penguins forward said to media in Calgary on Monday. “That’s a huge part of this game. That’s a huge part of this life.”

For much of the past 21 months, the lives of hockey players have been restricted in terms of travel and even opponents. Especially during the 2020-21 campaign.

Last season, with heavy travel restrictions still in place between the United States and Canada because of the pandemic, the NHL adopted a division-only format that resulted in three divisions of eight teams and a fourth — composed entirely with Canadian franchises — with seven teams.

For the Penguins, that meant they only played seven other teams during the regular season in the temporary East Division: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.

And more often than not, they played those foes in two-game “series” in one city, similar to an NCAA schedule.

So instead of going to Philadelphia for a game with the Flyers then scurrying out of the Wells Fargo Center immediately afterward to fly to Newark for a date with the Devils in the Prudential Center the next night, they simply would go to the team hotel in the City of Brotherly Love and hit the hay.

With travel restrictions loosened, the NHL has gone back to its typical 82-game format that involves a different opponent every game.

Such as their current trip.

For the first time since making a swing through California in February 2020, the Penguins are west of the Mississippi River this week as their “bird” — a charter Boeing 737-800 — takes them through Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Seattle within the span of eight days.

Barring any postponements for factors such as covid-19, there are no two-game “series” in the same city on the Penguins’ schedule this season.

“I thought it was a great format,” coach Mike Sullivan said recently. “It cuts down on travel. It’s easier on the athletes because the travel isn’t as frequent. I really liked it. The back-to-back games, emotions carry over. It creates little mini series or mini rivalries. I really like it. I thought it was a great format.

“Just logistically, I think it’s an attractive format because you don’t feel like you’re going from city to city to city and you’re constantly on a plane. You have an opportunity to get your feet on the ground. And I think it’s easier on the athletes just as far as routine and allowing them to sleep when they’re supposed to sleep. And you’re not getting in so late at night in certain cities and having to play the next night.

“I liked it. I know people sit on both sides from an opinion standpoint, but I thought it was a real attractive format.”

It might be more attractive than practical within the context of an 82-game format. Realistically, the only series the NHL could schedule would involve divisional foes and perhaps a handful of conference opponents.

Additionally, many NHL buildings house NBA teams or other entertainment options such as concerts or professional wrestling.

Throughout the 2020-21 season — which lasted only from January through July of 2021 — there were very few of those types of attractions as many buildings didn’t permit spectators because of the pandemic.

Today, there are most events and more spectators in every venue so there are plenty of logistical challenges in terms of staging two games with the same two teams over three nights.

But it wouldn’t be impossible for the Penguins to spend a few days in Manhattan and play the Rangers in Madison Square Garden in two consecutive games. Or to have the Rangers spend a few days in Pittsburgh for a pair of contests in the PPG Paints Arena.

The Penguins see the pluses and minuses of each schedule structure.

“I guess the normal format, it’s kind of what we’re used to,” forward Bryan Rust said. “It’s fun kind of seeing a new opponent every night. In those series-type formats, it’s hard to beat a team two nights in a row. I saw that in college hockey when I was there (at Notre Dame). You saw it last year. It’s tough to win two nights in a row against a team. But the advantage of those series (format) is there’s a lot less travel. You’re kind of staying in a city for a few days and being able to sleep in the same bed for a few days and get acclimated. That was definitely an advantage.”

Adopting such a format for 82 games just isn’t feasible. But implementing some of it in a practical fashion, is viable.

And desired, by some.

“Yeah, I liked it,” forward Sidney Crosby said. “A little less travel. Just being familiar with the team that you’re playing. You play them a couple of times in a row, I think it just adds to the intensity. Those two things, whether it’s the game itself or (being) a little bit easier with the travel … if it works out, I’d definitely be up for that.”

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