Jaroslav Halak Tests Positive For COVID-19 Before Bruins Face Flyers

The good news for the Bruins on the COVID-19 front is Jake DeBrusk is back. The bad news for Boston, however, is Jaroslav Halak now is in the protocol.

The Bruins goalie tested positive Monday morning, head coach Bruce Cassidy revealed in his media availability following the team’s morning skate. As such, Dan Vladar will get the start in net Monday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, a game that can be seen on NESN+.

“Jaro popped a positive test. We’ve gotta follow up with more testing for him, so he wasn’t able to go on the ice, per protocol,” Cassidy said on his post-morning skate video call with reporters. “When we get more information on that, we’ll pass it on.”

Cassidy indicated Monday night’s game was a scheduled start for Vladar, so that doesn’t change much. Bruins goalie prospect Jeremy Swayman was the second goalie on the ice for morning skate, per the team, and is the presumed backup Monday night.

It’s unclear, however, what the Bruins will do Tuesday night if Halak’s tests are confirmed and he misses time. The Bruins and Flyers do battle again Tuesday, in Philadelphia.

Tuukka Rask won’t be back for Tuesday night, as he remains out with an undisclosed upper body injury. However, he has returned to skating and will travel with the team on the road trip, which is an encouraging development in his recovery.