Canadiens' Kulak says he tested positive for COVID-19

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak confirmed Friday he tested positive for COVID-19 in early July but has since recovered.

"I was a little bit shocked ... you just don't know how it will affect you and how symptoms kind of develop and increase," Kulak said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "Some guys shake it off in a day or two and sometimes it can linger on and it can get, obviously, really severe."

Kulak, 26, joined the Canadiens at training camp for the first time Thursday after completing his 14-day quarantine. The 6-foot-2 rearguard said he experienced symptoms that impacted his ability to train.

"I think the first couple of days were the worst," he said. "Waking up I just had pressure in my head, a little kind of dull headache all day.

"I was trying - because I had my first negative test - I was just trying to do exercise in my hotel room, some (bodyweight) stuff, and I could tell I just didn't have the energy for it that I should have for kind of the difficulty of stuff I was doing."

Kulak recorded seven assists while averaging 17:08 of ice time over 56 contests this season, his second with Montreal.

Canadiens defenseman Xavier Ouellet also said Thursday he tested positive but didn't feel any symptoms. The 26-year-old joined the team at training camp for the first time Wednesday.