A decision on Tuukka Rask and this current Bruins goalie corps looms on the horizon

If Tuukka Rask returns to the NHL ranks later this season, the accepted narrative has been that the 34-year-old netminder only wants to play for the Bruins — the lone club he’s played for in his pro career.

And that’s not just speculation — not when Rask himself has reiterated such an outcome time and time again. 

"I played with one team when I was in Finland, I have been so lucky to be part of only one team in the NHL. For me, it's about that pride of playing for one team and one team only," Rask said on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show back in August. "I have no reason to chase the money anymore and go somewhere else. It's going to be one of those things where the Bruins are my home, Boston is my home. I've always wanted to play here, wanted to stay here. So the money won't be an issue.

“We had a conversation with (Don Sweeney) and I will be a cheap goalie for them, I think. I'm not looking for a $7 million contract anymore. I just like to help the team out. I feel like I'm a veteran goalie and there are some young guys coming in, so whatever I can do to help the guys out I will do it and end my career as a Bruin."

But there’s a whole lot that can change over the course of a season.

And if Boston is intent on sticking with a two-man show between the pipes in Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, Rask very well could be donning another sweater in the coming months.

Speaking on The Jeff Marek Show on Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said that Rask might have to keep his options open if Boston opts to pull the plug and move on with their new tandem in net. 

“I don’t think it’s Boston or bust. At least that’s not the information that I’ve heard,” Friedman said. “I’ve just heard the Bruins remain his No. 1 priority. Now, we’ll see what happens, but that’s just what I’ve heard.”

Of course, if Rask did widen his field of suitors to other clubs beyond the Bruins — there’d likely be a slew of Cup contenders lining up at the door for a chance to see if the former Vezina Trophy winner has still got it.

In particular, Marek tossed out the Edmonton Oilers as a club that would hold some appeal — with a healthy Rask shoring up one of the major flaws on a roster that should have no problem landing punches down the other end of the ice. 

Even though it feels as though the Bruins have only played a handful of games to open this season (which, uh, they kinda have — with just 13 games played over the span of five-plus weeks), a referendum on the current state of the B’s goaltending corps and a decision on Rask’s future is closer than you may think.

Rask — who noted back in August that he could be cleared by Christmas or early January as he recovers from offseason hip surgery — is already back on the ice, with the now free agent spotted at Warrior Ice Arena ahead of B’s morning skates. 

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In a few months' time, could we see potentially see Rask serve as the last line of defense for a team like the Oilers — serving as a final puzzle piece for Edmonton in a wide-open Western Conference?

We certainly could. And frankly, it makes a whole lot more sense than the headache that is managing a three-man rotation in net between Rask, Swayman and Ullmark here in Boston. 

And yet, I still think something has to go very, very wrong somewhere in the process over the coming weeks to force Rask to look elsewhere to continue his NHL career.

Given the numerous times he’s mentioned the importance of remaining in Boston, keeping his family entrenched in this market, trying to help this current B’s core, not fretting about the term/payout of a new contract and helping both Ullmark/Swayman, it sure feels like the Bruins is the only club that Rask would realistically want to play for.

And given all of those factors — coupled with some so-so returns out of the gate from Boston’s current goaltending duo — it sure seems like the Bruins would opt to bring back Rask for cheap, even with the juggling act that Bruce Cassidy would have to perform when it comes to giving Ullmark/Swayman/Rask reps down the stretch.

Granted, Cassidy acknowledged the possibility of Rask’s return as far back as this summer — and Cam Neely seemingly kept the door ajar for the veteran goalie just before the 2021-22 season officially commenced.

“Well, the doors open. We'll see what happens,” Neely said of both Rask and David Krejci. "I mean, Tuukka's going through his rehab process and we'll see where that takes him. We told them both that the door is open if they do decide to try and come back and then we'll see where it goes from there. But that remains to be seen from both of them. It really depends on where they're at, both mentally and physically.” 

Now, had Swayman really labored out of the gate this year (which, given the unpredictable nature of goaltending, was a tangible scenario), it would have been rather easy to map out a plan for Rask’s return. You send Swayman down to Providence (no need for waivers) and roll with Rask/Ullmark for the tail end of this season.

But so far, you could make the argument that Ullmark has been the weak link through the first few weeks of the new season. And while there’s still a LOT of hockey to be played, it sure doesn’t seem right to demote a promising rookie goalie like Swayman as a result of Rask’s return.  

(It hasn't helped that Ullmark has been  at times by some shoddy D-zone coverage and a number of daunting matchups against high-scoring opponents, but a .727 save percentage on high-danger shots and some poor timing on a few response goals have often drawn the ire of Cassidy and a Bruins team in need of a few more stops in critical situations.)

But you also just handed Ullmark a four-year, $20 million contract this past summer as well. And while some fans have mentioned the possibility of moving Ullmark and rolling with Rask/Swayman for the next couple of years, Ullmark also has a no-movement/no-trade clause in each of these four years that he has under contract with Boston.

Would moving forward with a Rask/Ullmark/Swayman trio be a pain to manage? Maybe. Awkward? Out of the gate - most certainly.

But if Rask makes good on his offseason pledge to return on a cheap, low-risk deal, it sure seems like a shot worth taking if you’re the Bruins.  

Worst case? He’s ineffective and you bump him out of the rotation ahead of the playoffs — where he can still serve as a mentor to both Ullmark/Swayman and function as a welcome veteran in the room. 

Best case? He regains his post-surgery form or even improves his game (Tim Thomas underwent a similar procedure ahead of the 2010-11 season), pushes Ullmark/Swayman or reclaims the No. 1 spot on the depth chart — potentially leading this club to another promising Cup run (and for pennies on the dollar). 

There's no guarantee that the second scenario presented plays out. But given the low-risk and cheap price, it sure seems like a gamble that's too good to pass up if you're Boston. 

Especially if the alternative is seeing Rask man the net for another Cup contender in the coming months.