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COVID breakout in Providence bad news for Boston Bruins

By Bryan Murphy

LAVAL, QC - OCTOBER 16: Josiah Didier #44 of the Providence Bruins skates the puck against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell on October 16, 2019 in Laval, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the Providence Bruins 5-4 in a shoot-out. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - OCTOBER 16: Josiah Didier #44 of the Providence Bruins skates the puck against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell on October 16, 2019 in Laval, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the Providence Bruins 5-4 in a shoot-out. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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The Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, are in the middle of a full COVID breakout.

According to Mark Divver of The New England Hockey Journal, cases are in the double-digits for the P-Bruins. They have gone into full shutdown mode as a result.

First off, the health and safety of those players is the top concern. Hopefully all symptoms are minimal, if they exist at all, and everyone is OK.

That said, this could not have come at less opportune time for the Bruins.

Boston won’t be able to call up any players from Providence in the near future

With Providence having this outbreak, Boston is stuck with the players that they have right now. They won’t be able to call up anyone at least for the neat future.

That’s not great to begin with. And now, it’s even less ideal.

For starters, you have Brad Marchand out the next three games with his suspension for slew-footing Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the Vancouver Canucks game. Hypothetically he could appeal and play until the appeal is reviewed, but he’s likely just going to sit the three games and move on from it. But that already means you’re down a forward.

Anton Blidh is out for tonight’s game after he was boarded by Ekman-Larsson on Sunday. Bruce Cassidy said he doesn’t believe it to be long-term so it seems his absence tonight against the Detroit Red Wings is more precautionary, but still, that’s another rostered player currently unavailable.

Cassidy is missing tonight’s game due to being placed in COVID protocols. He is feeling minor symptoms according to Don Sweeney so likely he tested positive for COVID. If he has COVID, and he’s been around the team, others may soon be placed in protocol and/or test positive.

So out of the 23 players on the roster, one is unavailable for the next three games, another might be back soon but that’s unknown, and a coach is in protocol and that may cause other players/coaches to be placed there as well.

All while your minor league team is in a complete shutdown and no call ups will be available. Not great.

When, not if, DeBrusk return is low, it’s on Don Sweeney. dark. Next

It’s never a good time for a COVID breakout and again, I hope all the players in Providence are OK. But it could not have come at a worst time for Boston. One more injury or a player placed in COVID protocols and the Bruins will have some serious personnel problems.

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