Boston Bruins: Tuukka Rask isn’t going anywhere anytime soon

Earlier this year, Tuukka Rask made headlines after saying that he might consider retirement when his contract with the Boston Bruins is finished after the 2020-21 season.

The comments from Tuukka Rask caused some concern among Boston Bruins fans, with many believing that the 33-year-old goaltender is still a big key to success for the team now and in the coming seasons.

The Boston Bruins are right in the midst of their Stanley Cup window, but having to move forward without their best goalie would definitely make things more challenging for them.

But could Rask really walk away from the game while playing some of the best hockey of his career?

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Given that Rask has had to deal with multiple concussions over the last few seasons, it wouldn’t be shocking if injuries played a role in Rask deciding to hang up his skates. Outside of that though, it’s tough to imagine why he would retire so soon. If he did, it would leave the team with some serious question marks about what to do with their goaltending situation.

Luckily, it appears as though Rask’s original comments were taken a bit too far, or maybe this break in the season has given him some time to rethink any future plans. Rask recently said that he hasn’t thought about retirement (subscription required) and is looking forward to beginning negotiations on a contract extension that would keep him in Boston.

It seems as though his desire to play and win is what keeps Rask going, not just the idea of playing until a certain age.

The Boston Bruins have also been able to lighten the workload for Rask in recent years, with Jaroslav Halak joining the mix and playing well. Halak has been better than anybody could have expected since signing in Boston, but the move has worked well for both goalies, and as of now the duo are set to control the crease for the Bruins for at least one more season.

So while Rask is one of many players in Boston who are closer to the end of their career than the beginning, it seems as though retirement is still more than a few seasons away for one of the best goaltenders in Bruins history.