NHL Return: Pastrnak Ready For COVID19 Test And Playing In A Hub City

Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak understands the reality of what awaits him when he finally arrives back in Boston from Prague, hopefully before the NHL transitions into Phase 3/Training Camp of the NHL return plan. 

“I don’t know, get tested for COVID?” the 2019-20 co-Rocket Richard replied in a Zoom call with the media recently after he was asked about the first thing he’d do when he comes back to his NHL home city.

After an unnamed Bruins player tested positive for COVID19 last week, that’s exactly what he, other Bruins, and over half the league who still hasn’t returned to North America from the NHL Pause will be doing. As Gary Bettman stated Monday, that testing may now become daily in Phase 2 after the league originally said it wouldn’t be until Phase 3.  

As for how Pastrnak feels three months removed from his best season yet and one that could have him become a nominee for the Hart Trophy?

“I feel pretty good,” said Pastrnak who scored 48 goals and had 95 points in the regular season. “I’ve been really active and moving around. I pretty much leave the house at 10 a.m and come back for dinner.”

Pastrnak said that he’s been skating twice a week with ten local present and past NHLers and he’s also been playing plenty of tennis and soccer. 

Pastrnak didn’t seem the least bit opposed to being quarantined in a Hub city for potentially up to two months should the Bruins make another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

“I don’t have kids,” said Pastrnak. “I just have a girlfriend. I’m young. For me, it’s just going to be like on the road. We’re going to be there for a while. It’s not going to change much for me. I’m just going to think about it like a road game.”

What Pastrnak is a bit apprehensive and curious about is the fact that there will be no fans in the stands should the NHL return to play. 

“Definitely going to be something new for everybody,” Pastrnak said. “Especially the guys who haven’t played a hockey game in 20 years without fans like Zdeno [Chara], right?”