Bruins reportedly sign goaltender Tuukka Rask

According to multiple insider reports, the Boston Bruins have signed free agent goaltender Tuukka Rask to a new contract.

Rask has been skating with the Bruins as a free agent the past few weeks as he continues to rehabilitate an offseason hip surgery.

Bruins insider Fluto Shinzawa reported earlier this week that the Bruins' plan for Rask is to have him play for their AHL affiliate Providence Bruins next month before joining the big club full-time.

Rask, of course, is still an unsigned unrestricted free agent with no current agreement with the Bruins or any other team. So... how are the Bruins getting away with this? After all, Rask hasn't even signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract. But... let's get real... Rask isn't going to sign anywhere but Boston, right? So... what issue would other teams have? Still, there's an interesting precedent being set here. I mean... just imagine Henrik Lundqvist suiting up for practice with the New York Rangers or Henrik and Daniel Sedin joining the Vancouver Canucks... I can't imagine that that would go over well. 

In any case, all signs point to a return to Boston for Rask.

And while the Bruins are adjusting to life under goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, Rask is still very much in the mix for them and he'll be counted on to play big games for this team down the stretch.