Tim Thomas has been a staple in Boston since he arrived here. But recently we have found out that he feels the need to take the year off to take care of the three “f’s”: friends, family and faith. Many don’t understand why, but this year off could benefit the Bruins. With this year off, it means our other goaltenders need to step up to the plate and be the best they need to be to make this team a playoff contender, like Thomas has since 2005. One goaltender in particular is Tuukka Rask. He had been the backup goalie for the past three years and this year is his year to show everybody what he has and all of his skill. Rask has been number two to the number one goalie on the Bruins and arguably the NHL for the past three seasons. On many teams he would be the number one goalie without a doubt, but he has stayed with the Bruins and wants to hopefully stay with them for a while longer.
If we do not sign Rask before the free agency then we have the potential to lose him to another team which would be unfortunate because he is a great player and would flourish in Boston along with the rest of the team. Yes it is upsetting that Tim Thomas has decided to take the year off, but we need to move on and concentrate on our other goalies, especially Tuukka Rask.