Tuukka Rask’s comeback ended last week with the veteran’s retirement announcement after four games.
Rask, who turns 35 next month, was no longer in his prime. After offseason hip surgery, he was supposed to return and provide all-star caliber goaltending to bolster the Bruins' playoff hopes. However, the physical complications were too much. That leaves the B’s net to Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman now and in the foreseeable future.
For Rask, the numbers speak for themselves: 564 regular season games, another 104 in the playoffs with 355 total wins — all franchise records.
His 52 shutouts are second in team history behind Cecil “Tiny” Thompson (74), who played from 1928-38, well before players used curved sticks. Rask’s .921 save percentage puts him in the top five among all NHL goalies all time, in the company of Hall of Famers like Dominik Hasek and Ken Dryden.
