Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask is off to a particularly rough start this season. He has posted a 2.89 GAA and a .897 SV% through a dozen starts and, at least for the time being, has been passed by Anton Khudobin on the depth chart who makes his third straight start tonight. Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston posits that the slow start on top of the last two seasons being below Rask’s usual standard is a sign that he should no longer be considered their goalie of the long-term future.
However, they have Khudobin and Zane McIntyre behind him and neither figure to be the solution either. Rask is signed through 2020-21 with a $7MM cap hit which could make him difficult to trade if he can’t get back to form in the coming weeks unless they want to take a similarly-priced underachieving netminder in return. Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bruins target a young goalie either through the draft or via trade to start to position themselves for the post-Rask era, whenever that day happens to come.
More from the Atlantic:
- Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian is nearing a return to the Buffalo lineup, notes Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. He has yet to play this season after suffering a lower-body injury in their preseason finale back on September 29th. Originally, the injury wasn’t believed to be serious but Bogosian acknowledged he wound up delaying his own return by pushing too hard trying to return to the lineup the first time. Considering how long he has been off, he’s still likely a week or so away as he will need several practices with the team before getting the green light but his pending return should still be a boost to a Buffalo lineup that has been injury-riddled on the back end this season.
- Although the Canadiens find themselves close to the basement in the East, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that they don’t plan to move any draft picks at this time in an effort to add some help. Particularly noteworthy is that they have two second-round picks already with a good chance at a third (which they will get back if Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev plays 40 NHL games this season) which will give them some ammunition to work with at the draft in June or if GM Marc Bergevin has a change of heart and decides to put some picks in play.
I’ve vastly defended Rask in the past and he’s probably my favorite player on the team but I’ve decided to take the blinders off and he really may not be that elite goalie. He may have been a product of the great defensive system we once had…similar to Thomas. I understand the defense in front of him hasn’t been stellar, which was my argument for him but he seriously needs to improve his game.
I predict that if Tuuka gets traded it will be, somehow, someway to Edmonton. Petey C stole him from Toronto, and I think he’d take him again in a trade. If the money can be made to work.
I totally agree. You started seeing signs that Rask’s success was contingent on the B’s defense when he started to complain about the falling off of play in the D-zone after Boychuk left. Also when he would lose focus in the past, Rask and the B’s would blame it on a nagging injury but now his glove hand is so bad and his motivation is just off so it looks his best days are definitely behind him. I’m just hoping the B’s are only still referring to him as their #1 Goalie so his trade value doesn’t drop.
Bergevin needs to stand pat and not make any rash moves nor trade any more draft picks. Let Price get healthy and if the team continues sliding, sell off some assets you don’t view as long term pieces(Pacioretty, Plekanec, Mirchell, Benn, Davidson) and for a change, load up on picks and prospects.
Pacioretty? Really? He gone that sour in Montreal?
I love Pacioretty, probably one of the few Habs fans who hasn’t turned on him. But at 29 and due a new contract next season, I’m worried that his next deal will be a cap killer. He’s been one of the best goal scorers for years but he’s shown some real decline in his overall game this season. He’s quietly been one of the best two-way wingers in hockey but that aspect of his game has nosedived while he’s been ineffective in the offensive zone. He’s been very similar to Rick Nash and Nash’s game nosedived at age 29 just as Pacioretty’s seems to be doing also at age 29. I would deal him now and get what should be one hell of a trade package.
Every starting goalie in the league goes through a rough patch. I don’t understand how Rask is a “horrid” goaltender all of a sudden and needs to be traded. Has he looked great this year? Nooooo. But the team in front of him hasn’t played well either. Khudobin is a benefactor of having a good game and the Bruins getting players back.