Former Stanley Cup winner and Olympic bronze medallist Tuukka Rask has to end his career due to injury.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Tuukka Rask, who spent his entire 15-year NHL career with the Boston Bruins, announced his retirement today after lingering hip problems prevented him from playing up to his standards. After surgery and rehab for a torn labrum, and appearing in just four games this season, the 34-year-old Rask knew it was time.
“Over these last few weeks,” he explained on Twitter, “I’ve realized that my body is not responding the way it needs to for me to play at the level I expect of myself and that my teammates and Bruins fans deserve. Therefore, it is with heavy heart that I announce my retirement from the game of hockey.”
After the surgery, Rask signed a one-year deal worth $1 million, and the intention was for him to get back to speed in the AHL, but the Providence Bruins had many games cancelled because of covid, so he returned to the NHL directly, where he struggled.
“He’s not where he needs to be,” acknowledged coach Bruce Cassidy.
Once the Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs in the spring of 2021, Rask underwent the hip surgery. After getting back into shape, he returned to the Bruins on January 13, 2022, against Philadelphia. But after allowing 14 goals in four games January 13-24, 2022, he realized he wasn’t the same player and decided to call it quits.
Rask was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 21st overall in 2005. He followed the drafting of Justin Pogge 90th overall the previous year, and Leafs management quickly decided that Pogge was their goalie of the future. They traded Rask to Boston for Andrew Raycroft, and the rest is history. Pogge flamed out quickly, and Raycroft was only minimally effective for the Leafs, while Rask established himself as one of the best goalies in the game with the Bruins.
Rask spent most of 2007-09 in the AHL with Providence, and when he got to the Bruins he was often the backup to starter Tim Thomas. It was under these circumstances in 2010-11 that the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, defeating Vancouver in seven games.
Prior to the 2012-13 season, Rask was named the team’s number-one goalie, but the season was delayed by a lockout. It wasn’t until 2013-14 that he was the clear number one with the starts to back this up. He led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup finals, but they lost to Chicago in six games. That summer, he signed an eight-year contract extension worth $56 million. A year later, Rask won the Vezina Trophy after a season in which he posted a record of 36-15-6 and a GAA of just 2.04. In 2019-20, he won the William M. Jennings Trophy for having allowed the fewest goals during the regular season.
The Bruins made it back to the Cup finals in 2019, where they were defeated by St. Louis in seven games.
Prior to his hip problems, Rask suffered other serious injuries, including a groin injury that required surgery and a concussion, but he overcame these problems in ways he couldn’t with the hip. As he leaves the game, he played 15 years with Boston, winning 308 games in 564 appearances with an amazing 52 shutouts. As well, he played in 104 playoff games for the B’s, winning 57.
Of course, Rask’s reputation earned him many invitations to play for Finland internationally. He played at the 2004 and 2005 U18, as well as the World Junior Championships three years running, from 2005 to 2007, winning a bronze medal in ’07. In 2006, he was named the IIHF Directorate Best Goalie. He also backstopped Suomi to bronze at the 2014 Olympics and played in two games in the 2016 World Cup of hockey.
Rask’s numbers and achievements speak for themselves. He had seven straight seasons of 26 wins or more, and made the playoffs eight times with Boston.
“While I am sad to say goodbye to the game I love, I am so very thankful to have shared these last 15 years with the greatest teammates and fans,” Rask continued on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to play for any other team. I’m so proud to have worn the spoked B for my entire career, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way…But now, I’m excited to spend more time with my family and friends who never stopped supporting my dream.”
Rask continued: "The rehab, the workouts, the practices -- all of it was with the intention of getting back to where I needed to be to help my teammates win games and make another run at a Stanley Cup," Rask said.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be, but Rask retires as one of the greatest goalies ever to come out of Finland, and there’s no shame in that.
“Over these last few weeks,” he explained on Twitter, “I’ve realized that my body is not responding the way it needs to for me to play at the level I expect of myself and that my teammates and Bruins fans deserve. Therefore, it is with heavy heart that I announce my retirement from the game of hockey.”
After the surgery, Rask signed a one-year deal worth $1 million, and the intention was for him to get back to speed in the AHL, but the Providence Bruins had many games cancelled because of covid, so he returned to the NHL directly, where he struggled.
“He’s not where he needs to be,” acknowledged coach Bruce Cassidy.
Once the Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs in the spring of 2021, Rask underwent the hip surgery. After getting back into shape, he returned to the Bruins on January 13, 2022, against Philadelphia. But after allowing 14 goals in four games January 13-24, 2022, he realized he wasn’t the same player and decided to call it quits.
Rask was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 21st overall in 2005. He followed the drafting of Justin Pogge 90th overall the previous year, and Leafs management quickly decided that Pogge was their goalie of the future. They traded Rask to Boston for Andrew Raycroft, and the rest is history. Pogge flamed out quickly, and Raycroft was only minimally effective for the Leafs, while Rask established himself as one of the best goalies in the game with the Bruins.
Rask spent most of 2007-09 in the AHL with Providence, and when he got to the Bruins he was often the backup to starter Tim Thomas. It was under these circumstances in 2010-11 that the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, defeating Vancouver in seven games.
Prior to the 2012-13 season, Rask was named the team’s number-one goalie, but the season was delayed by a lockout. It wasn’t until 2013-14 that he was the clear number one with the starts to back this up. He led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup finals, but they lost to Chicago in six games. That summer, he signed an eight-year contract extension worth $56 million. A year later, Rask won the Vezina Trophy after a season in which he posted a record of 36-15-6 and a GAA of just 2.04. In 2019-20, he won the William M. Jennings Trophy for having allowed the fewest goals during the regular season.
The Bruins made it back to the Cup finals in 2019, where they were defeated by St. Louis in seven games.
Prior to his hip problems, Rask suffered other serious injuries, including a groin injury that required surgery and a concussion, but he overcame these problems in ways he couldn’t with the hip. As he leaves the game, he played 15 years with Boston, winning 308 games in 564 appearances with an amazing 52 shutouts. As well, he played in 104 playoff games for the B’s, winning 57.
Of course, Rask’s reputation earned him many invitations to play for Finland internationally. He played at the 2004 and 2005 U18, as well as the World Junior Championships three years running, from 2005 to 2007, winning a bronze medal in ’07. In 2006, he was named the IIHF Directorate Best Goalie. He also backstopped Suomi to bronze at the 2014 Olympics and played in two games in the 2016 World Cup of hockey.
Rask’s numbers and achievements speak for themselves. He had seven straight seasons of 26 wins or more, and made the playoffs eight times with Boston.
“While I am sad to say goodbye to the game I love, I am so very thankful to have shared these last 15 years with the greatest teammates and fans,” Rask continued on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to play for any other team. I’m so proud to have worn the spoked B for my entire career, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way…But now, I’m excited to spend more time with my family and friends who never stopped supporting my dream.”
Rask continued: "The rehab, the workouts, the practices -- all of it was with the intention of getting back to where I needed to be to help my teammates win games and make another run at a Stanley Cup," Rask said.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be, but Rask retires as one of the greatest goalies ever to come out of Finland, and there’s no shame in that.