DON SWEENEY

The Boston Bruins have signed goalie Tuukka Rask to a prorated, $1 million contract for the rest of the season.

Goalkeeper Tuukka Rask is getting closer to returning to the Boston Bruins after signing a professional tryout agreement with Providence of the American Hockey League.

The NHL has shut down two more teams through Christmas.

The postponement of the game was the 38th overall this season for coronavirus-related reasons, and first to involve the seven-team all-Canadian North Division. The 10 players listed matches the most since Feb. 21. A total of 157 NHL players have now spent at least one day in the COVID-19 protocol this season. The NHL on Friday postponed two Bruins games after four more Boston players entered the COVID protocol, for a total of five. Sweeney said the players were driven separately back to Boston from Buffalo after that game was postponed.

FILE - Former Boston Bruins' Willie O'Ree tips his hat as he is honored prior to the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Boston, in this Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, file photo. The Boston Bruins say they will retire the jersey of Willie ORee, who broke the NHLs color barrier. 22 jersey honored prior to the Bruins Feb. 18 game against the New Jersey Devils. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)BOSTON – More than 60 years after he broke the NHL's color barrier, Willie O’Ree will soon add another milestone to his career. 22 jersey retired prior to the team's Feb. 18 game against the New Jersey Devils.

FILE - In this June 15, 2015, file photo, Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Corey Crawford kisses the Stanley Cup Trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Chicago. The past few weeks have seen several recent Stanley Cup winners get rid of members of their championship core. The Blackhawks moved on from Corey Crawford, the Washington Capitals did the same with Braden Holtby, the Pittsburgh Penguins traded fellow goalie Matt Murray and forward Patric Hornqvist and the St. Louis Blues signing Torey Krug means captain Alex Pietrangelo will sign elsewhere. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

FILE - In this June 15, 2015, file photo, Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Corey Crawford kisses the Stanley Cup Trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Chicago. The past few weeks have seen several recent Stanley Cup winners get rid of members of their championship core. Hornqvist was “blindsided” the Pittsburgh Penguins wanted to trade him. The past several weeks have featured several recent Stanley Cup winners breaking up their championship core by saying goodbye to a key player with his name on the trophy. The agitating, go-to-the-net winger helped Pittsburgh win the Cup in 2016 and 2017.

The NHL is embarking on a free agent period like never before in hockey history. A handful of the top free agents are still available, but NHL teams aren't waiting for those big fish to sign to make other moves. Koivu signed for $1.5 million for next season, and they need to re-up top center Pierre-Luc Dubois and other restricted free agents. Teams have to move money, and in order to move money, they might have to move some really good players.”Some good free agents found new homes Saturday. The Buffalo Sabres signed center Cody Eakin to a $4.5 million, two-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.