After Asymptomatic Case, Bruins’ Taylor Hall Hopeful NHL’s Testing Protocols Change

Taylor Hall didn’t need to spend the entire 10 days in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, but he still was forced to miss time away from the Bruins.

The Boston forward entered the NHL’s protocols Dec. 18 and returned to practice Monday, so he did not miss a game after the NHL postponed several of the Bruins’ matchups.

Hall, unlike Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, was asymptomatic during his bout with COVID.

“For me, I had COVID, I tested positive for COVID, I didn’t have any symptoms. I didn’t have one,” Hall said over Zoom after Tuesday’s practice. “I had been stuffed up for a couple weeks before COVID. The day I tested positive I stopped being stuffed up and completely cleared up. So that was frustrating to have to take time off.”

The NFL and NBA have modified their protocols when it comes to testing asymptomatic players. Marchand and team president Cam Neely revealed they both believe things need to change so further pauses don’t happen, and Hall is in agreement.

“Our league’s different, right, because we have seven teams in Canada,” Hall said. “So, I don’t know how they’re going to handle going forward. … Hopefully, we can start moving along with COVID. I don’t think we’re going to move past it, but we have to accept that this is going to be part of our lives. Hopefully, guys like me don’t have to miss 10 days of action when we don’t feel any symptoms.”

It’s unclear if the NHL will modify its testing protocols going forward.

The Bruins are slated to get back in action on Jan. 1 when they host the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden.