Boston Bruins
Tuukka Rask Didn’t Bail: Real Reason He Left Bruins Revealed
News has now been revealed as to the true reason behind why Tuukka Rask chose to leave the Bruins playoff run.
As we reported yesterday, following the news that Tuukka Rask had left the Boston Bruins and the NHL bubble to return home and be with his family, there was a lot of chatter as to why.
Some believed it came down to a decision to be with his family and the Bruins publicly supported that decision, as did many in the media and the fan base. Unfortunately, not everyone was so kind.
Some fans in Boston labeled Rask a quitter. Suggesting he didn’t have a passion for the team, the game or making a run to the Stanley Cup, the often not-accepted goaltender was even more on the outs with this particular section of Bruins nation. Adding even more fuel to the fire, Joe Haggerty appeared on TSN690 radio and reported that he’d heard rumblings Rask was thinking about retirement or playing one more season to finish his contract and then calling it quits. Haggerty suggested Rask’s love for the game was gone.
Related: [Report]: Tuukka Rask Has Lost Interest in Continuing Hockey Career
What’s Really Going On With Rask?
It turns out, the reason Rask left is because of a potential medical issue in his family. On his show Tuesday, WEEI morning show host Greg Hill said he spoke to Rask about his decision to opt out of the rest of the playoffs and the veteran netminder clarified that it was a medical scare with his daughter that led him to make the decision he did.
On Sunday, Dale Arnold of NESN and WEEI said that Rask had texted him saying there was a family emergency he had to deal with, but that things are fine now. “He texted me back and I asked specifically if I could share this part of what he said to me and he said you can.” Arnold said.
The hosts didn’t go into detail about what the emergency was, stating it was best Rask share that if he felt comfortable doing so. But he did say, “Basically the kind of situation where I believe Tuukka Rask did what every parent would do and was obviously very concerned.”
Hill went on to say that Rask was advised their family seek medical help for whatever the issue was and after he spoke to his daughter it was clear what the right thing to do was.
That decision has been heavily supported by his teammates and rightfully so.
“It makes me upset sometimes how badly [Rask] gets trashed for that. People aren’t in the bubble with us,” Bruins forward Chris Wagner told WBZ’s Dan Roche. “They’re not away from their families for months at a time.”
“Obviously we’re supporting him. We’re behind him and we understand,” Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron said in his media availability after Game 3 on Saturday. “Family comes first. We’ve always said that.”
Rask’s Future Still Uncertain
This news may not change the fact that there will be questions about Rask’s future in Boston. Fans who are going to hate on the netminder will likely continue to do so. But, at the very least, this news should close discussion on the idea that Rask simply bailed on the Bruins.
If there was ever a question that he wasn’t committed to the team, those doubts should be erased. Is he still committed to hockey? Who knows. But as for the rest of this season, even if he’d stayed, his head wouldn’t have been in the right place to be an effective goaltender.
There’s no doubt this was the right decision.
Next: Matthews, Dubas, Shanahan Respond to Maple Leafs Criticism
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