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Bruins Rask will undergo hip surgery that is expected to keep him out until at least January and is expected to become a free agent this offseason. Tuukka Rask’s days in Boston could be numbered, even though he’s not the one to blame for the Bruins’ recent playoff failures. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Tuukka Rask played most of his 2021 season with a ripped labrum. He endured the pain in two intense playoffs with the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders. Yet some viewed Rask’s competitiveness as selfishness.
These are the same deniers who didn’t give Rask the benefit of the doubt for leaving the Toronto playoff bubble last year to take care of a family affair. No matter what he does on or off the ice, he will always receive criticism for every minute of error.
The Bruins lose? It’s all his fault, even though he did everything he could to keep them afloat in a low scoring game. They have shallow depth in D – as evidenced by the second round game against the Isles in the three games without Brandon Carlo and Kevan Miller? It’s also on Rask.
Each accolade obtained by Rask has met the silence of his opponents. But the moment he clears a puck through him, they come out of the woods.
It all came through in Boston’s porous loss to Long Island on Wednesday night. Rask has clearly struggled to bail out his team from constant turnovers. He himself gave a bad gift on a wrong pass to Mike Reilly in the second period of a one-goal hockey game. The calls for Jeremy Swayman started earlier today and escalated with every goal allowed.
Some of the criticisms of Rask come with the territory. The outspoken detractors began their campaign in 2010 after the Bruins lost a 3-0 second-round lead to the Flyers. To put some things in perspective, the injury-plagued Bruins picked Trent Whitfield as their third-row center while David Krejci and Marco Sturm missed a big part of their streak. And Tim Thomas, the man who spearheaded Boston’s first Stanley Cup triumph in 39 years the following season, suffered a hip injury throughout the 2009-10 season, which resulted in prompted Rask to take on the incumbent role earlier than expected.
As he confirmed his plans for the offseason surgery, Rask acknowledged the detractors during his year-end Zoom call. There, the 34-year-old confirmed that he does not watch social media intensely. He also doesn’t listen to Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti. He also doesn’t read the extensive coverage of the Boston Professional Hockey Club.
“There’s a reason I don’t read social media, or really read the news. Because when you get caught up in it it can be mentally difficult. But it really doesn’t affect me because I can’t hear that noise, ”said Rask. “I think I’ve said it a few times before, but people have opinions. They have the right to say whatever they want as long as it is within good limits. I respect that. “
Tuukka Rask reveals he’s played through a torn hip labrum this season that will require surgery and talks about wanting to return to the #NHLBruins next season: “I’m not going to play for anyone other than the Bruins. It’s our house. “pic.twitter.com/EbBsppL1Gf
– Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 11, 2021
Some reviews of Rask are fair game. There are fears he may not be able to get the Bruins over the hump after another early exit from the playoffs. Certainly the Bruins executives will take this into account as they reflect on Rask’s future with their most successful goaltender of all time poised to hit the free agent market.
Rask has no intention of playing for anyone other than the Bruins. He can go about his daily business without hearing much heat, even on the rare occasion that a random stranger approaches him in a public place.
“It doesn’t affect my game. I feel like every time I go out on town or whatever, people have really supported me,” Rask added. “It’s not like I go to the grocery store and people throw eggs at me or yell at me. It could suck.
The proverbial egg throwing comes from its detractors. But that doesn’t come from any of his teammates.
And surely, they had their backs in their last media availability of this unique 2021 season.
“I think Tuukka is definitely one of the best goalies in the world,” said David Pastrnak, “and I certainly don’t think he deserves the criticism he gets just because he’s gone with the family. Family is # 1 for every person in the world, and health is # 1 whatever you do and whatever your activity. I have enormous respect for Tuukks, and I don’t think the review is fair.
“The criticism he receives is simply insane. It must be people who are not watching closely or whatever, but we all know what Tuukka brings and how good he is, what he plays, what he has done for us and for the organization ” , added forward Charlie Coyle. “Someone criticize him… I guess someone has used the word ‘bozo’ before. It’s just stupid.
David Pastrnak on COVID challenges this season: “It’s been a challenge. But you had to put your head down and go through it. At the end of the year it got a lot better with the people in the building… at the same time the guys in the room made it easier. “Pic.twitter.com/lTzr4Kp5Qf
– Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 11, 2021
Whether you agree with Coyle or he calls Rask’s enemies “bozos,” the Bruins face an important decision with Rask, David Krejci, Taylor Hall and the rest of their pending UFA and RFA class.
Without a doubt, Swayman will receive an in-depth look at the # 1 role in the fall as Rask heals from his offseason surgery. Ideally, Sweeney adds another save ahead of Rask’s return – possibly in February – to start the season with a young tandem of Swayman and Dan Vladar.
The good news for the Bruins: Money won’t be at the forefront of discussions. Rask, along with Krejci and Hall, all admitted they would get a discount for staying in Boston. Still, Sweeney needs to play smart if he brings back the UFA trio.
David Krejci on his free agent status next month: “I’ve thought about it a lot… I’m going to need a few weeks to think about a lot of things… I love Boston. It’s my home. I don’t. not see myself playing elsewhere. But at the same time, we’ll see what happens. ” pic.twitter.com/rPtYGijPeM
– Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 11, 2021
The Islanders exposed the shallow defensive depth and Boston’s last six without Carlo and Miller. The Bruins need a firm, physical hand at the back, and they’ll likely have to find that through free agency or trade given the slow development of young defenders in the prospects pipeline. That, along with Sweeney’s shaky draft history, gives the Boston general manager a tough job adding the pieces needed for another potential race with their aging core.
Granted, Rask wouldn’t provide a bad short-term option as a 1A or 1B keeper as Swayman continues to develop. But, with the backlash from the seventh-year general manager at an all-time high, Sweeney must allocate a portion of his offseason budget to extend Boston’s cutting window. His work may ultimately depend on it, with or without Rask.
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