Tuukka Rask facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuukka Rask |
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Rask with the Boston Bruins in October 2013
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| Born | 10 March 1987 Savonlinna, Finland |
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| Height | 6 ft 2.5 in (189 cm) | ||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Ilves Boston Bruins HC Plzeň |
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| National team |  Finland |
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| NHL Draft | 21st overall, 2005 Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| Playing career | 2004–2022 | ||
Tuukka Mikael Rask (born March 10, 1987) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender. He was picked 21st overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2006, he was traded to the Boston Bruins, where he played his entire 15-season NHL career.
Rask was a very successful goalie for the Bruins. He won the Stanley Cup as a backup player in 2011. He also helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Finals two times, in 2013 and 2019. In the 2013–14 season, he won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender. He also shared the William M. Jennings Trophy in the 2019–20 season. Rask was also chosen for the NHL All-Star team twice.
For his home country, Finland, he helped the team win a bronze medal. This happened at the 2006 World Juniors and again at the 2014 Winter Olympics. At the 2006 World Juniors, he was named the Best Goaltender. Tuukka's older brother, Joonas Rask, is also a professional hockey player.
Tuukka Rask holds several records for the Boston Bruins. He played the most regular season games (564) and had the most wins (308) as a goalie. In the playoffs, he also holds records for games played (104) and wins (57). Among goalies who played at least 250 games, Rask is one of the best in save percentage and goals against average (GAA). He also holds an NHL record for not dropping below a .900 save percentage in 23 straight playoff games in 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Rask was known for his calm and controlled playing style. He liked to stop the puck by absorbing it into his chest. He used a narrow "butterfly" style and stayed on his skates for high saves. His unique style helped him greatly but also led to hip problems later in his career.
Contents
Playing Hockey: From Finland to the NHL
Early Career in Finland (2002–2007)
Rask began his hockey journey in his hometown of Savonlinna, Finland. He played for the junior teams of his local club, SaPKo. Later, he joined the Ilves junior team in Tampere. He played 26 games and had a great goals against average (GAA) of 1.86.
In 2004, Rask became the main goalie for the Ilves senior team in Finland's top league, the SM-liiga. He was seen as the best European goalie for the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
The Toronto Maple Leafs picked Rask in the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. But before he played for Toronto, he was traded to the Boston Bruins in 2006. The Maple Leafs traded him for goalie Andrew Raycroft. Toronto decided to keep another goalie, Justin Pogge, instead. Pogge had just won a gold medal with Team Canada. However, Pogge only played seven games in the NHL.
Many people now see this trade as one of the worst in Maple Leafs history. Rask went on to have a very successful career with the Bruins. He won over 300 games, a Vezina Trophy, and was named to many NHL All-Star teams. Raycroft played only two seasons for Toronto and did not perform as well.
Becoming a Boston Bruins Legend (2007–2022)
Starting as a Backup (2007–2010)
Rask played one more season in Finland with Ilves in 2006–07. On May 5, 2007, he signed a three-year contract with the Boston Bruins. He then joined the Providence Bruins, Boston's minor league team, for their playoff run.
Rask was called up to the Boston Bruins for the first time on November 5, 2007. Just two weeks later, he got his first NHL win against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In October 2008, the Bruins sent Rask back to Providence. Even though he had the best save percentage in pre-season games, the team chose to go with two experienced goalies, Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas. However, Rask was called back up in January 2009. He played his first NHL shutout game against the New York Rangers.
Before the 2009–10 season, Rask became the backup goalie to Tim Thomas. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Bruins. In that season, Rask was the only goalie in the NHL with a goals against average (GAA) lower than 2.00. He also had the best save percentage over .930. He finished fourth in voting for the Calder Trophy, which is given to the best rookie player.
Stanley Cup and Top Goalie Award (2010–2019)
In the 2010–11 season, Tim Thomas played exceptionally well, making Rask the backup again. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. Rask became the second Finnish goalie to win the Cup. However, he did not play in any of the playoff games. Thomas played every game and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.
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On June 28, 2012, Rask signed a one-year contract with the Bruins. He was named the starting goalie for the Bruins, taking over from Tim Thomas. During a league lockout, Rask played for a team in the Czech Republic. When the NHL started again, Rask led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013. In one playoff round, he stopped 134 out of 136 shots! The Bruins lost the Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
On July 10, 2013, the Bruins signed Rask to a big eight-year contract. After the 2013–14 season, Rask won the Vezina Trophy. This award goes to the best goalie in the NHL. He had a record of 36 wins, 15 losses, and 6 overtime losses. The Bruins also won the Presidents' Trophy that year for having the best regular season record.
In the 2016–17 season, Rask had a groin injury. Despite this, he helped the Bruins reach the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. After the playoffs, he had surgery on his groin. He was ready for the next season.
In the 2017–18 season, Rask had a great streak of 21 games without a regulation loss. The Bruins had a very strong season with 50 wins. In the 2018 playoffs, the Bruins lost in the second round.
On January 1, 2019, Rask set a new record for the most games played by a Bruins goalie. He played his 469th game, passing a record from 1939. Later that month, he had a concussion. He returned to play on January 31. On February 3, Rask recorded a shutout. This made him the all-time leader in wins for a Bruins goalie.
Rask helped the Bruins reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals again. They played a tough seven-game series but lost to the St. Louis Blues. Rask had a fantastic playoff performance with a 2.02 goals against average and a .934 save percentage.
Later Seasons and Injuries (2019–2022)
Rask played his 500th NHL game on October 22, 2019. On his 33rd birthday, March 10, 2020, he recorded his 50th career shutout. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was cut short. Rask won the William M. Jennings Trophy with teammate Jaroslav Halak.
During the NHL's return to play in a "bubble" in Toronto, Rask played a few games. On August 15, 2020, Rask decided to leave the playoffs and return to his family. He later explained that his daughter was going through a medical emergency.
On April 15, 2021, Rask returned from an injury. He earned his 300th NHL win against the New York Islanders. He was the 37th goalie and fourth Finnish goalie to reach this milestone. He was also the fastest Bruins goalie to get 300 wins. On May 21, Rask passed another Bruins record for most playoff wins by a goalie.
After the Bruins were eliminated from the 2021 playoffs, Rask revealed he had a hip injury. He needed surgery and would miss the start of the next season. Rask said he only wanted to play for the Bruins.
On January 6, 2022, Rask signed a tryout contract with the Providence Bruins. He wanted to get back in shape after his surgery. On January 11, he signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins. However, Rask only played four games in the 2021–22 season before getting injured again. On February 9, Rask announced he was retiring from ice hockey.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
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| Representing Finland |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Bronze | 2014 Sochi | |
| World Junior Hockey Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2006 Canada | |
Rask played in four games for Finland at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He helped them win a bronze medal. This included a 3–1 win over host nation Russia. He also shut out the United States in the bronze medal game. He could not play in the semifinal game against Sweden due to the flu.
In 2016, Rask was chosen as the starting goalie for Finland in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Fun Facts About Tuukka
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In February 2015, scientists discovered a new type of wasp in Kenya. They named it Thaumatodryinus tuukkaraski after Tuukka Rask! They said the wasp's front legs were as strong as Rask's glove hand.
Awards and Records
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Tuukka Rask won many awards and set several records during his career:
- Stanley Cup champion in 2011.
- Vezina Trophy in 2014 (best NHL goalie).
- William M. Jennings Trophy in 2020 (shared, for fewest goals allowed).
- Named to the NHL All-Star team twice (2014, 2020).
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game twice (2017, 2020).
- Won a Bronze Medal at the 2006 World Junior Championship.
- Named Best Goaltender at the 2006 World Junior Championship.
- Won a Bronze Medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Named Finnish Ice Hockey Player of the Year in 2013.
Boston Bruins Records
- Most games played by a goalie in Bruins history.
- Most wins by a goalie in Bruins history.
- Most shutouts in playoff series-clinching games.
- Longest season-opening home point streak.
- Most playoff wins by a goalie in Bruins history.
