Tuukka Rask talks Patrice Bergeron & David Krejci’s futures, Bruins’ centennial season

Bruins

“All the nice issues come to an finish and everyone knows as athletes that our careers do not final eternally.”

Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask took part in a hockey scrimmage with members of the Boston Pride women’s team at Warrior Arena.
Tuukka Rask took half within the Boston Delight Hockey Hockey scrimmage on Tuesday at Warrior Ice Area. (Jim Davis/Globe Employees)

Tuukka Rask is having fun with retired life.

After hanging up his goalie gear in February 2022, the 36-year-old Rask’s schedule now’s far much less demanding than his days between the pipes for Boston.

“Simply the identical as final 12 months,” Rask, now an envoy for the Bruins, stated of his present day-to-day routine. “Plenty of golf, a number of household time. A bit of bit of labor throughout the winter, however not a complete lot. It’s good.”

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It stays to be seen if two of Rask’s longtime teammates in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will be part of him on the hyperlinks briefly order.

An ailing hip damage compelled Rask to halt a comeback try and name it a profession after 15 seasons in Boston.

Such misfortune hasn’t befallen Boston’s two-headed monster down the center in Bergeron and Krejci.

Bergeron secured his sixth Selke Trophy and thrived as Boston’s top-line middle in 2022-23. Krejci didn’t present a lot rust following his one-year trek to his native Czechia, posting 56 factors in 70 video games in his normal perch because the Bruins’ second-line pivot.

However given the mileage that each 37-year-old facilities have tacked onto their our bodies, coupled with different commitments exterior of the rink, there’s no assure that Bergeron and Krejci grace the TD Backyard ice as soon as once more in 2023-24 — past becoming a member of Rask as lately retired legends throughout the franchise’s centennial season festivities.

And within the wake of each Don Sweeney and Cam Neely’s feedback relating to Bergeron and Krejci’s unsure future, Rask stated that the choice to stroll away from the sport will not be one thing the veteran facilities will take frivolously. 

“Mine was pretty simple — I had an damage, in order that made it simpler,” Rask stated of the choice to retire. “However it’s by no means simple to retire, you recognize? You’ve finished this sport your complete life. All people’s gonna get to that time the place you need to decide.

“Whether or not it feels simple in the intervening time, it’s gonna create some bumps on the street. That’s simply life. All the nice issues come to an finish and everyone knows as athletes that our careers don’t final eternally. That’s simply life.”

As for any recommendation he has for each Bergeron and Krejci as they mull their resolution?

“I’m the final particular person to supply any recommendation [on] in the event that they play,” Rask stated with a smile. “I’ve seen them. I’ve talked to them. They appear to be in good spirits.”

Rask, talking earlier than Tuesday’s Boston Delight Hockey scrimmage at Warrior Ice Area, doesn’t normally spend a lot time on the ice today.

His days within the crease are lengthy gone. Throughout Tuesday’s scrimmage, he switched to ahead — meting out a number of silky backhand feeds and even discovering twine with a number of wristers.

“Personally, I’m simply seeking to get a sweat these days,” Rask stated. “That is really superior, getting a little bit skate in.”

Rask’s new schedule normally doesn’t necessitate day by day check-ins on the most recent information across the NHL.

However the former Vezina Trophy winner did reward Linus Ullmark after the Bruins netminder grew to become the third Boston goalie within the final 15 years to take dwelling the Vezina Trophy.

“It’s superior,” Rask stated of Ullmark’s win. “I didn’t watch final night time however I discovered about it this morning. I simply texted him a number of hours in the past and congratulated him. It’s nice to see. It speaks lots about what this group has finished and the way the play has been and the way all people form of has developed of their place and Linus is a good instance of that.”

The 2023-24 season will likely be a busy one for Rask and the Bruins.

With Boston unveiling quite a lot of “Period Nights” and different initiatives as a part of its centennial season, Rask will doubtless issue closely into a number of festivities.

Regardless of his polarizing presence within the Boston sports activities sphere, anticipate Rask to attract loads of cheers when he’s honored as a cornerstone of this fruitful chapter within the Authentic Six franchise’s historical past.

“You play for an Authentic Six franchise — it’s an excellent honor to start with, after which you’ve a protracted profession with them and also you form of make your mark,” Rask stated. “You don’t actually notice the factor while you’re taking part in. However then after you retire, you look again and with the centennial season developing. Personally, I’ve been a part of that for over a decade.

“It’s an excellent honor and an excellent privilege as a hockey participant. It’s nice that I’m retired and I get to rejoice on the opposite facet and I’m native, so I get to take part in quite a lot of the celebrations, in all probability. So it’s superior.”