Bruins Get Back to Practice Following Extended Holiday Break

BOSTON - The Bruins made their return to the rink on Sunday afternoon after an extended holiday break implemented by the NHL following league-wide issues with COVID-19 kept them off the ice for roughly 10 days.
Seven players cleared the NHL's COVID protocol and took part in the nearly hour-long session at Warrior Ice Arena, though Charlie Coyle landed on the list prior to practice, joining Taylor Hall, Brandon Carlo, and Oskar Steen as those that remain sidelined.

Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Craig Smith, Curtis Lazar, Trent Frederic, Anton Blidh, and Jeremy Swayman were all on the ice after spending time in COVID protocol over the past two weeks.
"I wasn't asymptomatic," said Marchand, who entered protocol on Dec. 14 and missed the two games ahead of the Bruins' shutdown. "I had a stuffy nose, a little congestion and then body aches or headache or whatever for a day and a half or two days. But it was it was pretty easy going the whole time…mild symptoms."
Lazar, who entered protocol on Dec. 18, is the only player among the seven to return on Sunday who cleared before the recommended 10-day quarantine period. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said the forward produced two negative tests allowing him to get back to the team sooner.
"I don't know what the exact rules on that are if you're asymptomatic. Maybe you're allowed to do that or no matter what. Not sure," said Cassidy. "But that's what happened with him. So good for him. I know he didn't have symptoms or very mild when I was originally informed. So, nice to have him back out there."
With the National Hockey League delaying its planned return to game action over the weekend by one day, Boston's game against the Penguins at TD Garden on Monday has been postponed, leaving the B's tilt against the Senators in Ottawa on Wednesday night as their next scheduled contest. Should that game remain on the docket, the Bruins could have a number of players unavailable due to Canada's COVID-19 regulations, which require that 15 days have passed since testing positive for the virus.
But for now, Cassidy said, the Bruins - idle since their Dec. 16 setback on Long Island - are focused on getting their conditioning level back up before they turn their attention to the next opponent - whoever and whenever that may be.
"If Ottawa gets canceled, we have a six-day window here to kind of have guys filtering in that we can use like training camp," said Cassidy. "If Ottawa doesn't [get postponed], then obviously we're going up there with part of our lineup and you lose a bit of that ability to work on back to basics every day for three or four days.
"You'd be obviously focusing on Ottawa as early as [Monday] because today was more about get your legs, move and get back on the ice, feel the puck. [On Monday], we're going to hopefully have a better idea what's going to happen."

Rask Getting Closer

Tuukka Rask practiced with the Bruins on Sunday as he continues to rehab from offseason hip surgery. B's president Cam Neely said last week that contract discussions with the unrestricted free agent had yet to kick into gear, though Cassidy indicated that the club's all-time winningest goalie could be ready for game action within the next few weeks.
"I was told that he might the early should be cleared to play would be when we get back from there," Cassidy said of Boston's trip to Tampa Bay, Washington, and Montreal from Jan. 8-12. "That's why that practice was important… I know that's been discussed - how do we get him live action when we're on the road and [have] limited practice…he would need that second week.
"I think after that, if he comes out of that OK, then you look at a guy that could be cleared to play."
Marchand said that while the Bruins must focus on improving their game regardless of who's between the pipes, he is happy to see his longtime teammate getting close to full health.
"He's one of the best goalies in the world," said Marchand. "His abilities are impressive, and that's why he's been one of the best players in the league for the last 10 or 15 years or whatever it's been. So, it's great that he's close to getting back.
"But we have a big job to do the rest of the year regardless of who's in net. We've got to keep building. It starts from the first game of whenever we play again; we'll kind of go from there."

Wait, There's More

Sunday's Practice Lineup

FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - Erik Haula - Craig Smith
Nick Foligno - Trent Frederic - Curtis Lazar
Anton Blidh - Tomas Nosek - Karson Kuhlman
DEFENSEMEN
Matt Grzelcyk - Charlie McAvoy
Derek Forbort - John Moore
Mike Reilly - Connor Clifton
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman