Boston Bruins: Tuukka Rask Not Untouchable This Offseason
Boston Bruins: Tuukka Rask Not Untouchable This Offseason As Hinted By General Manager Don Sweeney
The Boston Bruins end-of-year press conference gave way to the news that head coach Claude Julien would be returning next season behind the Bruins’ bench after missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. The team also announced that assistant coach Doug Houda would not be returning, and that other assistant’s may be leaving as well. In terms of roster personnel, Don Sweeney was open to answering questions, and one potential statement of note was regarding Bruins’ goaltender Tuukka Rask.
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When asked about any untouchable players on the roster, Don Sweeney mentioned that there were definitely some untouchable players on the roster. The only name he specifically mentioned was Patrice Bergeron. When asked about Tuukka Rask, Don Sweeney stated a far-less reassuring statement for his franchise goaltender. The words were simple and concise: “It would absolutely depend.” He also mentioned that Rask didn’t start the year, or end the year as the team had planned, but that he certainly held himself accountable for any poor stretch of play that came from this season.
Tuukka Rask missed the Bruins last game of the season with an illness. “I mean I knew I wasn’t going to play, so I just went out there (for pregame warm-ups) and waited until Smitty (Jeremy Smith) came here,” Rask said on the Monday following the Bruins elimination from the playoffs on the previous saturday.“But yeah, when you’re sick you’re sick. Trust me if I felt like there was a chance I would’ve helped the team, I would’ve gone out there. But I couldn’t even stand up really.” This isn’t the first time Tuukka Rask missed a game due to an unspecified-illness, however.
During the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Tuukka Rask missed Finland’s semi-final game against Sweden with an unspecified-illness. The Finnish team lost the game and the right to play for the gold medal. It’s unnerving to see that Tuukka Rask has gotten sick twice in the last few years when the pressure was on. Tuukka Rask‘s contract will run until the 2020-21 season, but his remaining time as a Boston Bruin is nothing short of uncertain.
Next: Claude Julien Will Return To Coach The Bruins
With an offseason full of questions, Tuukka Raskk’s future might be the biggest one now that Don Sweeney has given Claude Julien his vote of confidence. Tuukka Rask posted a career-worst save-percentage this year with a .915 average, and he also posted his worst goals against average as a starter for the Bruins with a 2.56 goals against average. His worst goals against average as a member of the Bruins came in the 2010-11 season when he backed up Tim Thomas.