talkinaway
Registered User
Outsider here lurking in...
What if said player/s decide to sit out for what's left of the season/playoffs - can they return after the season/playoffs begin, and would they be eligible to have their name on the Cup if they do not return to finish the season/playoffs?
Good question. Without a special petition, eligibility is you either play* half (35 for Bruins) of the regular season games with your team, or you play* 1 game in the SCF. Right now, for the current Bruins roster per Hockey Reference, that puts Clifton (31), Kuhlman (25), Moore (24), Lauzon (19), Nick Ritchie (7), Blidh (7), and Kase (6) in danger. I think their name goes on even if one of them sits out due to any type of injury, and I would imagine "I can't play because of COVID" would fall under that.
*goalies can dress as backup and it counts
I'm not sure how I'd feel about each of those players if they didn't qualify by playing in the SCF. Clifton was injured and literally just came back, so I think he gets a petition if somehow he gets reinjured in the playoffs. Not sure how I'd feel if he couldn't play at all....31 is pretty damn close to 35, and if the rest of the season had played out, he might have hit 41, and he's put in some time, although not stellar numbers. I think he passes. The others are mostly tweeners at this point except for Moore, who's a 7D, and Ritchie/Kase, who are new pickups.
But in answer to the question, I think you handle it just like an injury. Petitions do happen - we got Savard on the cup despite not playing "enough" games, IIRC.
As far as not coming back at the start of the tourney - I don't know how that would work. I think they'd have to spend 2 weeks in the "playoff bubble" quarantined before being allowed to even practice. So, I pretty much think you have to start the playoffs in the bubble for it to really work. It might be quite a drag on the Black Aces, especially since their names won't be eligible to be on the Cup, but they would have to quarantine with the team.