The bad news continues to pile up for Boston sports fans. First reported by the Boston Globe's Matt Porter, Tuukka Rask has hinted at a retirement following the termination of his current contract, which ends after the 2020–21 season.
When asked about his future workload, Rask said: "I have one year left in the contract, so we'll see if I even play." Rask's statement about his NHL future is unclear, as he doesn't clarify whether or not he will return. Some sports fans, ones I like to call Rask critics, rejoiced at this news. Ever since the 2011 championship season, Bostonians have pointed their fingers at Rask each time the Bruins fail to bring the Stanley Cup back to Beantown.
Although some playoff losses were partly due to Rask's playoff nerves, he certainly wasn't to blame for the latest choke job last season. During the 2019 playoffs, Rask ranked fourth in save percentage (.934) and third in goals against average (2.02) among qualifying goaltenders. It's worth noting that both statistics were higher than Jordan Bennington of the Blues, who shut down the Bruins during the Stanley Cup Finals.
Additionally, Rask was having a Vezina Trophy caliber year this season before it was suspended, ranking second in save percentage (.929) and first in goals against average (2.12). In short, Rask is a near-elite goaltender who has been the backbone for the Bruins for a handful of years and his departure would leave a gaping hole in the Bruins roster. However, the Bruins have a couple of options with how to handle this situation.
Sign Rask to a one-year "prove-it" deal:
Following the 2020–21 season, the Bruins will have a couple of players that are due to hit the market, with David Krejci and Ondrej Kase as the most notable. In total, the Bruins will have five free agents during the summer of 2021, giving the front office some wiggle room in the salary cap. Additionally, Bruins stalwart Patrice Bergeron will have one more year left on his contract — he becomes a free agent after the 2021–22 season. If the Bruins want to gear up for one more cup run with their core, it's best if they sign Rask to a one-year contract with a salary that benefits both sides.
Dip into the farm system:
The Bruins currently have four goaltenders in their farm system that are willing to rise to the starting goaltender position: Daniel Vladar, Maxime Lagace, Kyle Keyser and Jeremy Swayman. Scouts and analysts are giving praise to the Bruins’ goaltender prospect depth and the Bruins coaching staff are comfortable with any of the four between the pipes. Currently, 6' 5" Daniel Vladar seems slated for the starting role after posting absurd numbers in the AHL with a 1.79 GAA and a .936 save percentage.
The Bruins have two solid options following the 2020–21 season. Ideally, the front office would hope to see Rask for a couple more years as the Bruins’ all-star core hopes to bring more championship seasons to Causeway Street. And for the Rask critics who can't wait to see him retire, read the statistics. Rask is an elite goaltender and has left a strong legacy in Boston, even without a Stanley Cup.
Keeping up with the 617: Examining Tuukka Rask's hazy future
