Will Tuukka Rask Retire?

The idea of Tuukka Rask retiring would send (most) Bruins fans into a pit of despair. What are the odds this happens this offseason?

Tuukka’s Historic Career

Tuukka Rask is undoubtedly the best goaltender in Bruins History. He ranks first among Bruins franchise in these goal-tending stats:

Games Played- 536

Wins- 291

Saves- 13,711

Save Percentage- .922%

Goals Saved Above Average- 146

In all other categories, he is in 2nd place.

To have such a high placing in all statistical categories for such a historic franchise is very special. From his debut all the way back in 2007, he has been a model of consistency, providing steady goaltending, wether it was when he was in a back up role to Tim Thomas, or when he was playing 60+ games, he always brought his A game.

His excellent play doesn’t stop once the regular season comes to an end. Tuukka has a very strong .926% career playoff save percentages, putting him in the top 10 of career goalies in NHL history. He’s appeared in 93 playoff games, so it’s not a fluke.

The one thing missing from Tuukka Rask’s resume, is a Stanley Cup. He was Tim Thomas’ backup in 2011, and has fallen just short in the two Stanley Cup Finals series in which Rask has started for (2013, 2019).

Retirement for the Finnish Veteran?

Back in March, shortly after the NHL paused its season due to COVID-19, Tuukka, in an interview with Matt Porter, stated that when his contract expires after the 2020-21 season, retirement could be a possibility. One quote that caught readers off guard was when he said, regarding his future workload, “I have one year left in the contract, so we’ll see if I even play.” A world without Tuukka Rask as the bruins starter is a world Bruins fans never could begin to imagine as a possibility in the near future.

After opting out of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and exiting the bubble due to a family emergency, with the uncertainty of what the 2020-21 NHL season looks like, is it possible Tuukka Rask retires a year earlier?

This is definitely a possibility that isn’t being talked enough about. Rask could very well decide that the risk and uncertainty isn’t worth it. Being set to make $6.5M in 2020-21, he’s made plenty of money in his career, maybe he walks away with it and leaves that six and a half million on the table.

To me, there is one way Tuukka Rask could be thinking about his future:

Is the want to win a Stanley Cup bigger than his concerns regarding another potential NHL bubble and want for an extra year of family time?

Only time will tell what Tuukka Rask’s fate is. Either way, regardless of when Rask is done playing, Number 40 will be hanging from the rafters of TD Garden, never to be worn by another Boston Bruin.

-Bradley Whitesell (@Bradiey98)