The Boston Bruins are dealing with quite a few injuries, but they do appear to be getting healthier.
The Bruins have not played since last Thursday after Sean Kuraly tested positive for COVID-19, and four other players went into the NHL's health and safety protocols. Kuraly and Jake DeBrusk remained on the list Wednesday, meaning David Krejci, David Pastrnak and Craig Smith were allowed to rejoin the team.
Boston practiced Wednesday night at Warrior Ice Arena and welcomed back a slew of its injured players.
Brandon Carlo (upper-body) practiced in a non-contact jersey, while Jeremy Lauzon (fractured hand) and Jarred Tinordi (upper-body) were full contact participants.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy provided updates after practice concluded.
"I don't expect Lauzon or Carlo (to play Thursday)," Cassidy said. "Tinordi, (Trent) Frederic and (Zach) Senyshyn will all go out for morning skate. They felt good today, (Tuukka) Rask included. They will get through morning skate and we'll make a decision. It'll be basically their call after they discuss it with the medical (team). But all of those guys technically are not held back. ... It's are they ready? Do they feel good? It could be tomorrow, it could be Saturday. But they're all very close and they could all play tomorrow."
That's certainly good news, especially with Senyshyn looking strong, Frederic being a crucial piece to the bottom-six forwards and Tinordi being a bigger body on the depleted blue line. Of course, getting Rask back between the pipes will give Jaroslav Halak some rest after filling in for the Bruins' No. 1 goalie while he dealt with discomfort.
Carlo, who was hospitalized after a heavy, high hit from Washington Capitals' Tom Wilson, doesn't have a timeline as to when he'll return.
"Until Carlo participates in a full team jersey, we're just speculating, he has to go through contact. That will be the next phase of his recovery. And when that is I don't know," Cassidy said. "... The player and the medical team will communicate and say, 'OK, he's ready.'"
And as for Lauzon?
"That's a good question because he was full contact," Cassidy said. "So for him, it might be how is his strength and his battles. The puck handling and all that is going to take a little bit because he missed some time and wasn't able to hold his stick. But, is be able to battle at an acceptable level? That'll probably be the determining factor for him. Until he gets through another practice or two, it's probably speculating, but I would guess, simply because he's going through the contact part now, that he's closer than Brandon."
It sounds like everyone is trending in the right direction.
The Bruins welcome the New York Islanders to TD Garden on Thursday night. Puck drop, in front of fans for the first time since March 2020, is set for 7 p.m. ET.
