Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask hadn't spoken publicly since he opted out of the NHL playoffs to deal with a family emergency.
He had allowed WEEI's Dale Arnold and Greg Hill to share some details about his decision shortly after he made it, but that was pretty much all we had heard for nearly two months.
Now that has changed. Rask went on the record for an interview with Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald on Thursday before taking part in former teammate Shawn Thornton's Putts & Punches charity golf tournament.
"I got a phone call from my wife and my daughter was in a state that she needed medical attention and she wasn’t doing well," Rask told Conroy. "At that point, I had no choice but to go home. It’s as simple as that. If you get a phone call wherever you are, like I did, it’s a pretty easy decision.
Rask said it "bothered" him that some people accused him of leaving just because he didn't like the bubble. He said that while the bubble was "awful," he wouldn't have left if it wasn't for his daughter's situation.
As far as whether he considered returning to the bubble later in the playoffs, Rask said the decision to stay home was "about the unknown" and that he didn't think it would be a good idea to leave his daughter again for an indefinite period of time.
Rask also addressed reports that the Bruins have gauged his trade value. General manager Don Sweeney threw a little bit of cold water on those reports earlier this week when he said Rask "remains a big part of" the Bruins' plans going forward.
There had reportedly been rumors that Rask would retire if traded. While he didn't quite go that far, he did make it clear that he doesn't want to play for another team.
"I think Sweeney came out and said that’s not going to happen," Rask told the Herald. "I don’t want to play for anybody else but the Bruins. ... I’ve been here for a long time and the organization’s been so great for me. We’ve built our home in Boston and we call this home. So, yeah, I don’t want to play for anybody else. I think where my head’s at is focusing on next year and then hopefully a couple of more years after that and then pass the torch for the next guy after that."
You can read Conroy's full interview with Rask here.
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