BHN Puck Links: DeBrusk, Nosek Latest Boston Bruins In COVID Protocol

The Boston Bruins have added a couple more players to their COVID protocol list in the last few days as Jake DeBrusk and Tomas Nosek were both put in quarantine along with four members of the Boston Bruins support staff. Nosek scored a goal in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Red Wings and added an assist on Brandon Carlo’s goal in Tuesday night’s 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden.

The two players become the 12^th and 13^th members of the Boston Bruins to be placed in the NHL’s COVID protocol this season and leave the Bruins with most of their roster presumably in the clear for the virus for the rest of the season.

It could leave the Boston Bruins in a pretty good spot COVID-wise for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs with the team reportedly scheduled to get booster vaccine shots this week as well.

“It’s almost like the teams that all got it at once are going to benefit in the long run, assuming none of the players are really symptomatic and they get through it. Those teams come March, April and May that have already gotten through it are going to be in better shape than teams that have kind of taken a hit every week or so,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “You wonder if there’s a school of thought out there of doing that. I hate to say this, but you could see teams inviting [their players] to get it now, recover and then you come out of [any February schedule] break and everybody is ready to go.”

It’s an interesting concept, and possible advantage, for teams like the Bruins down the stretch provided all of their players come through it either asymptomatic or with very mild symptoms after being fully vaccinated.

With the Boston Bruins still working through COVID issues, we’ll move on to the rest of the BHN Puck Links:

*David Pastrnak has clearly hit the reset button coming back for the New Year in 2022 and is trying to have fun again on the ice. It showed in the goal he scored for the game-winner against the Devils on Tuesday night. (Boston Hockey Now)

*FOH (Friend of Haggs) Adrian Dater says Cale Makar’s goal is the best he’s ever seen in 26 years covering the Colorado Avalanche and I’m included to agree with him. (Colorado Hockey Now)

*Former Boston College and current Vancouver Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko says “cool it” with the Vezina Trophy talk. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

*The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded for Alex Nylander as Pens head coach Mike Sullivan is going to try his hand at an enigmatic player in Nylander that has yet to put all of his skills together at the NHL level. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*Meanwhile, fans in Buffalo are going to lose their minds if Nylander turns into another Evan Rodrigues, who is killing it this season for the Penguins. Interesting to note that BU alum E-Rod is getting his best NHL shot with BU alum Sully on the bench.

Evan Rodrigues gets his first career hat trick 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/6LNxqOndtr

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 2, 2022

*The organist from Slap Shot is actually playing music during the Seattle Kraken games these days? That is amazing. I can’t wait to hear “Lady of Spain” for the first time. (Seattle Times)

*It’s true that John Madden had a “no pooping” rule in his Madden Cruiser, and that Wayne Gretzky was one of the few allowed to break that rule. (Awful Announcing)

*For something completely different: You’ve got to tip your hat to the generation that leaves video evidence of every stupid thing they do that will live forever. (Barstool Sports)