In a statement released by the team Friday, the Bruins revealed they were advised that
that a player has tested positive for COVID-19.
The player—who was not named—has been tested twice since the original test, with both test results coming back negative. The unidentified player has remained asymptomatic throughout the whole process.
Bruins full statement:
Phase 2 of the NHL's Return to Play Plan requires all players to be tested for COVID-19 prior to using the team's facilities. As part of this process the Bruins were advised that a player tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The player underwent two subsequent tests, and both returned negative. The player remains asymptomatic. The Bruins will continue to follow CDC recommendations and adhere to the NHL's protocol.
All Bruins players who have returned to this point during Phase 2 have now returned negative test results.
The Bruins, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, are providing these details in an effort to be transparent and will provide no further information at this time.
Shortly after the press release, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney joined the media on Zoom and briefly addressed the situation.
“Subsequent testing from the original positive test was a requirement, and continued testing for that player, and all of our players is also required. Quarantining is also a requirement,” Sweeney said.
Sweeney also hinted towards another player on the Bruins roster being in contact with the player who tested positive, but did not say one way or another if that person who came in contact with the infected player has tested positive.
With voluntary workouts now approved across the National Hockey League, we’ve seen players such as Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron return to Warrior Ice Arena, skating for the first time since March.
Sweeney confirmed that the positive testing player and the potential contact tracing player have not accessed the Bruins practice facility since the league’s shutdown in March.
“Those players that both from a contact tracing as well as the original positive tested player have not used the facility, or accessed the facility and they won’t be until they’re tested again next week.”
As for players who have returned to the ice on a volunteer basis, Sweeney was unable to confirm anyone other than Marchand and Bergeron.
“We don’t even have access right now to watching players, so we’re not monitoring the number of players that are on the ice,” Sweeney said. “I have a hard number of players that have voluntarily entered Phase 2. We have a lot of players that are in the area and are going to access the facility.”
As things move along in Phase 2 and eventually Phase 3 and the start of full training camps on July 10, the Bruins will slowly have players start working their way back to Boston as players such as Joakim Nordstrom and David Pastrnak remain overseas.
“We have mandate from the league now to start and initiate mobilization. Obviously we can’t mandate anybody to come back until a certain period of time based on their visas,” said Sweeney. “But we’re starting to have a little bit more conversations about mobilization, starting to see people start to filter in.”
When camps do open across the league in July, teams have yet to be given a number on roster expansion, and how many players they may be able to carry in either training camps, or when teams do set sail for the hub cites that will host the play-in round, round-robin round and eventually the 16-team Stanley Cup Playoff traditional tournament.
“We have not been giving a hard number, we’ve been given a potential number within a range to include skaters and goalies,” said Sweeney. “Your staff, you’re not going to be limited for Phase 3 as the amount of people other than what you’re comfortable with being inside your own bubble, or your facility.”
Sweeney also touched on the recent actions by Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron in light of the George Floyd murder, and the protests going on around the country. Last week Chara marched the streets of Brookline to protest the death of Floyd, sharing his thoughts in an emotional Instagram post.
Bergeron too shared his thoughts,
while donating $50,000 to social justice causes.
“From an organizational standpoint and personally, I applaud each and every player’s individual efforts in their own lives. It’s outside the realm of hockey, they’re human beings and they’re reacting very, very well,” Sweeney said of the actions by both Chara and Bergeron.
“I think they both acknowledge the listening aspect of this and the realization that we all can continue to do a much better job of that. If our players want to be more socially available in that regard, to comment, to voice their opinions, or even in Zdeno’s case support a protest and march with people, I applaud their efforts.”
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