We hadn’t heard much from Tuukka Rask since he opted out of the NHL playoffs during the Bruins’ first-round series against Carolina. There was one interview with the Boston Herald and he had allowed WEEI’s Greg Hill to share some information about his decision, but that was about it.
On Wednesday, though, Rask met with the media during the Bruins’ third day of training camp for a Zoom press conference, his first since his odd postgame press conference after Game 2 of the Hurricanes series, which came about 36 hours before he opted out.
The 33-year-old longtime Boston goalie discussed his decision to leave the bubble, his offseason, his return to the ice now, and his future with the Bruins as he enters the final year of his contract.
“Obviously it was a tough decision to leave, but then again, it wasn’t, because I knew that it was more important for me to be home at that time,” Rask said. “So that was easy to live with. But on the other hand, you’re home knowing that you kind of could be there, should be there playing hockey, so it’s tough to watch the game.
“It’s kind of like, your brain is kind of spinning at that point, knowing that you’re in the right place at home but then again you should be there stopping pucks. So it was tough for a few weeks, but it helped that I was talking to [Jaroslav Halak] a lot, I was talking to a lot of guys that gave their support. They knew what was going on.”
Rask confirmed once again that it was in fact a family emergency that prompted him to return home, and revealed that an ambulance had to be called to his house for his daughter, a detail that wasn’t previously known.
“Yes, that was the reason I left,” Rask said. “…I got a phone call the night before that our daughter really wasn’t doing so well at that point, and they had to call an ambulance and everything. Obviously at that point my mind’s spinning and I’m like, ‘I need to get out of here.’ So then the next morning I informed Cam [Neely] and we had a brief talk and then I just left.”
Rask’s decision led to plenty of speculation about his future in the days, weeks and months that followed. There was contract uncertainty with just one year remaining on his deal and there were plenty of trade rumors, with reports that general manager Don Sweeney was gauging his trade value, something Sweeney ultimately refuted.
Asked if he ever felt any uncertainty about being back with the Bruins this season amid all the rumors, Rask’s answer was simple: “Nope.”
As far as his contract is concerned, Rask said he’s comfortable with where things and is just focused on getting ready for the new season right now.
“What the situation is now, everything’s kind of upside-down with the hockey world. I’m sure Sweens has a lot on his plate right now. My contract situation is probably not on the top of his list at the moment,” Rask said. “I’m comfortable with where we are right now. I just want to go out there and start the season off right and kind of get on a good groove, play good hockey personally and as a team.
“And then if the contract talks happen during the season, so be it. If they don’t, then we’ll just wait it out and see what happens. My main focus right is to get the season started off right and then worry about the future after that.”
Rask also reiterated what he told the Herald in October, which is that he wants to continue to play for the Bruins and has no intention of going anywhere else at this point in his career.
“Yeah, hopefully,” Rask said about playing in Boston beyond this season. “I’ve said that before, I have no intention to play anywhere else other than the Bruins. If I’m good enough to play one, two, three more years, so be it. If not, so be it. That’s where my head’s at.”