Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask knew there were going to be big changes this season. The team had failed to make the playoffs, and the Bruins ownership sacked their beleaguered general manager, Peter Chiarelli. Don Sweeney ended up moving over a third of the roster in the offseason. Even Rask’s backup, Swedish netminder Niklas Svedberg went off to the KHL.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
“You know what, I wasn’t really – I mean, obviously we were expecting changes,” said Rask of the new look in the Bruins locker room. “But nobody was expecting more or less, and I think you knew something was going to happen, but at least we were just prepared for the worst. We lost a few guys, a good few friends and front office staff, so it’s the nature of the business and it doesn’t really affect us – we just have to focus on our game and the stuff we do here.”
Now it is up to Rask and the rest of the Bruins veterans to put together a new squad and hopefully find the right chemistry as the Bruins go through a tweak year. Whoever gets the number two job in Boston, they know they won’t be called on too often. While Rask is prepared to repeat last season’s seventy game season, he’d rather not. But the 28-year old flying Finn is ready to handle whatever the season throws at him.
“Obviously, you know,” observed Rask on his game total last season. “Last year I had a lot of games in a row and you always try to stay fresh, even though you play a lot of games so I think that wears you down more. But if it’s going to be 70 games again, that’s what it’s going to be and you just have to manage the rest.”
So, how did Rask spend the offseason?
Puck Prose
“After the season, I spent about three, four weeks here, so there was plenty of time to think about what happened,” said Rask to the assembled media. “You know, you talk with different people about different things and then when I go home , it’s July and you don’t really think about hockey.”
“I don’t take notes and see how I feel after the season every day, but I didn’t think that it took any longer than usually. I mean, I’m sure it did, but I just didn’t pay attention to it, because I was just focused on getting my mind rested and hanging out with the family.”
Even though last season put Rask through the meat grinder, he came out of it in relatively good shape. Compared to other Bruins who had an injury-filled season, Rask was certainly one of the lucky ones.
“I just had my back a little sore at the end of the season, that was about the only thing I had physically,” he said. “I mean, other than that, I felt good and recovering didn’t take too long. I take maybe a week or two off, not doing any working out or anything like that, but right after that, I start doing all kinds of stuff – running, tennis, lift and what not, so it didn’t take too long.”
It looks like Rask is ready to go for next season. Depending on how the Bruins handle their defensive situation, he may have a lot of work ahead of him once hockey season starts next month.