David Pastrnak 'Unfit To Participate' In Bruins Practice

BOSTON (CBS) -- Bruins star David Pastrnak joined up with his teammates on the ice on Wednesday following an extended quarantine due to his travel from Europe. The reunion was short-lived, though.

Pastrnak was not present when the Bruins hit the ice as a team on Thursday. While it was believed that Pastrnak may be a part of a skate after the main practice, that was not the case either.

According to head coach Bruce Cassidy, both Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase (who also joined the team for the first time on Wednesday) are "unfit to participate" in practices. Cassidy couldn't discuss the situation any further due to NHL protocols.

"Hopefully that changes in the near future," Cassidy said of the status of Pastrnak and Kase. "Any time players miss a session where we expect them back at full speed, until they're out there, it is a concern for us. But until then, we'll forge ahead."

That's not very good news in the middle of a pandemic, with the NHL season set to restart in two weeks. When asked if he's planning to be without both players when the round robin and playoff slates begin, Cassidy said he isn't "thinking too far ahead."

Additionally, Pastrnak's video conference call with reporters -- which had been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. -- was canceled. Pastrnak had been active on the ice and on social media on Wednesday, sharing his excitement for getting back to work with linemate Brad Marchand.

The Bruins' Twitter account also celebrated Pastrnak's return to the ice on Wednesday.

Obviously, during COVID-19 times, any absence takes on an added layer of uncertainty, and Cassidy's comments on Thursday's matter don't paint a promising picture for Pastrnak, at least for the short term.

Update: Both Pastrnak and Kase were absent again from practice on Friday, though details remain scant.

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