There aren't many players in Boston Bruins history who have been dealt a worse hand than Tuukka Rask. The Finnish netminder holds a special place in the team's history, holding the team's all-time mark in wins with 308, which is 56 more than the next closest, Tiny Thompson. He is also first in playoff wins with 57, four more than Gerry Cheevers. The only win stat that Rask isn't at the top of the list in is Stanley Cups, as he came up short in the finals in 2013 and 2019 after being Tim Thomas' backup in 2011.
It isn't just that the teams he played on were dominant; he is also tied for second with Thomas in save percentage with a .921 mark. The only goalie with a better percentage is Linus Ullmark at .924, who played 434 fewer games. Rask is also tied with Ullmark in goals-against average, as they also hold the top spot with identical 2.28 marks.
So, why is it that Rask's name is met with scowls and complaints by most Bruins fans when you mention him? In a city where its championship or bust, no one feels that pain more than Rask, who had a couple of bad games when it mattered most (Game 6 in 2013 and Game 7 in 2019), which defined his career as a playoff choker.
The bad games did come at the worst times, but that doesn't mean he's a choker. The truth is that without Rask, the Bruins aren't in the position for him to choke away those crucial games. In 2013, he ended the playoffs with a .940 save percentage and a 1.88 goals-against average. In 2019, he was almost as good, owning a 2.02 goals-against and a .931 save percentage.
If one of those series goes his way, people will look at Rask as the greatest goaltender in Bruins history. Instead, he sits behind goaltenders like Thomas, Thompson, Cheevers, and Frank Brimsek, who were able to win that deciding final game of the season. It might not be fair, but it's why Boston sports are so special. You can be at the top of every statistical category for your position in an organization that has been around for over 100 years, but two losses define you.