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Boston Bruins Success Relies On Tuukka Rask

By Tanner Rebelo

Feb 26, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) reaches to make a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Boston Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) reaches to make a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Boston Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Bruins Success Depends On Tuukka Rask

The Boston Bruins have missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons and blame can be put on certain individuals more than others. As far as players are concerned, the team’s defense has faltered in each of the last two seasons. Last year the black and gold’s defense ranked 19th in the NHL allowing an average of 2.80 goals per game ( league average was 2.71). For the most part the defensive issues streamed from a lack of defensive talent on the roster.

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Since trading away Johnny Boychuk, the team’s defense hasn’t been the same. Trading away Dougie Hamilton also did not help the cause of improving the d-core. With management trading away defensive talent, the only way to get better is to bring players in. However, management has failed to bring in any big talent with the biggest acquisition of proven NHL defenseman coming from a trade deadline move to acquire John-Michael Liles.

The Bruins d-core remains the same as last year with the pairings looking like this for now:

Chara – K. Miller

Krug – McQuaid

Morrow – Liles

Depth: C.Miller

Over the course of last season, it was clear that the defense broke down in front of net-minder Tuukka Rask game-after-game with him often finding himself on the bad end of a 2-1 or 3-1 rush. Tuukka happens to be the 3rd highest paid goaltender in the NHL with a contract that runs until the 2020-21 season. With an inadequate defense in front of him, Rask posted a sub-par .915 save percentage in 2015-16 which is far below is career average of .924. The scariest stat that jumps out is his high-danger save percentage which was a .829, which tied him with Carolina’s Cam Ward. That isn’t an elite performance from a goalie who is the third-highest paid player at his position in the league.

The biggest question is how much of this is to blame on his defense in front of him or on Tuukka himself. The answer is not straight-forward, as a good portion of the blame is on the defenseman on the roster because the talent isn’t there for an elite defense. But the bottom line is that Rask needs to play better this upcoming season.

Will he ever play up to his contract? Potentially, but that would take him putting the team on his back and playing like 2011 Tim Thomas in the playoffs to lead the team to Lord Stanley’s cup.

Next: Bruins Have Questions Heading Into The NHL Season

With the offense having question marks of their own, this seasons success comes down to Tuukka Rask playing up to his Vezina Trophey winning abilities. The defense will play the same as last year if not better with a full season of John-Michael Liles, with the defense not getting any help in the talent department Tuukka will have to step up or else the Bruins may be forced to move him for a top pairing defenseman. With the latter being unlikely for now Bruins fans will have to hope that Rask and the defense can step up and help win games when the offense falters.

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