Bruins finally explain what’s happening with Rask and how the team feels!

​Not sure how reassuring this all is…

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 3 years ago
Bruins finally explain what’s happening with Rask and how the team feels!
Zuma Press

The Boston Bruins might be moving on to the second round of the postseason after eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, they will have to pursue their run without goalie Tuukka Rask. 

It was a shock when Rask quit on his club, leaving the Toronto bubble and opted out of the postseason to return home. However, Greg Hill of WEEI Sports Radio revealed on Wednesday that Rask got a disturbing phone call from his wife just moments before he left the Bruins and headed out of the bubble in Toronto.

“I can tell you that he got a phone call in the bubble from his wife, because there was a medical emergency with their daughter. Basically the kind of situation where I believe Tuukka Rask did what every parent would do and was obviously very concerned. It was suggested they seek medical help. Without revealing what that was, because I think I probably should leave that to him — he did tell me — as a father of two kids, I would be panicked and alarmed upon hearing that about a young kid.”

With this report being made public, Bruins president Cam Neely felt the need to share some precision on why Rask has left the team and the bubble in Toronto and how the club felt about it. 

“I have not spoken to Tuukka the last few days. As Don mentioned, he came and spoke to us the morning of Game 3 where he said that he had to go home to deal with a family emergency. So we respected that. Now it’s about the guys that are here and the team that we have here. That’s what we have to focus on.”

It’s easy to tell that the relationship has been impacted by Rask’s decision, though it is quite understandable to get why he’d want to be home with this family. 

For his future in Boston, however, we aren’t sure Neely’s comments are that positive. This comes on top of the latest speculations hinting that the veteran goalie might consider hanging up the pads. Team insider Joe Haggerty revealed on TSN690 that Rask might be completely done with hockey, looking to move on in life and focus on other interests.

“The speculation out there is that he might not even play after next year…I don’t think hockey is all that important to Tuukka, I think he has other interests, I think he has other things he likes to do… I don’t think it burns inside his belly like it does in all those other Bruins players and it’s why you see these things from him from time to time…I just think hockey’s not as high up on the list as it needs to be for a guy you’re paying that kind of money to.”

Rask is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the goalie voted as best in the NHL during the regular season as he was 26-8-8 in 41 starts with a League-best 2.12 GAA, finishing second with a .929 save percentage. He has one season remaining on an eight-year, $56 million contract ($7 million average annual value).

…And maybe a broken relationship with the Bruins.

Source: Twitter