Player Discussion Tuukka Rask - Part 2 (MOD # 598)

[bobbyorr04]

Lunquist and Price have also struggled for a short period this year as well but the difference is they haven't struggled for the last 3 years and a good part of this one. Slumps happen to just about every player. Even Bergy struggled early on this year. My issue with Rask is attitude more than anything. There are times you can clearly see he is on, unfortunately it happens rarely. I have said before and I'll say it again , he doesn't posses the mental strength to be an elite goaltender. He played his best when he had a light work load behind an elite defence on a defence 1st team. Sorry if I'm not impressed but I'm not. Never have been. I don't look at stats , advanced stats or trophies. There is always a reasonable argument that can be made as to why x player has achieved certain heights. I look at what I see when I watch the games, overall play, body language, attitude and so on. If Rask plays well I will always say so in the PGT. For all those who say I'm agenda driven I suggest you have a look at what I had to say in PGT when the Bruins played the Flyers. I call them as I see them , when he plays well I say so , when he plays like **** I say so too. Isn't that what we are here for, to share opinions. But certain posters here can't deal with facts so they feel the need to get snarky and it goes unchecked. Regardless I really hope I am wrong about Rask. I honestly cheer for him to do well. I am a Bruins fan 1st. I have my favorites like any one else. I would love to be able to count Rask among them.

^^^
I feel pretty much the same way as this. Great post!

 

[Dr Hook]

Tuuka has 33 wins in 56 starts and got the loser point in 4 more. The team wins 60% of the games he starts. If the team wins at a 60% rate and adds in a few loser points, they make the playoffs every year with ease. Who cares if his save percentage is .05% lower than someone else, or he gives up .2% more goals per game? The Bruins win a good deal more than they lose when he plays. Only 4 goalies in the league have more wins- that is the only comparison that should matter.

He has bad games, lets in soft goals and so does every other goalie in the league. If Tuuka was a mediocre to poor goalie as some are suggesting, he wouldn't have 33 wins. What is mediocre to poor is the defending in front of him on many nights.

 

[DitClapper]

If they did move him this summer, I wonder if they'd look to bring in Steve Mason.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

If they did move him this summer, I wonder if they'd look to bring in Steve Mason.

But Steve Mason sucks...

 

[DitClapper]

But Steve Mason sucks...

I've watched almost every Flyers game this season.
False. He makes the big ones. But...but...but.

 

[Hali33]

I think Rask is struggling and while I believe he takes a lot of unfair crap here, I would move him if I got the chance. Not because I think he's awful, but because I would like to get out from underneath that contract (if he's not going to perform like a Top 5 goalie).

I totally believe the rumor that the B's were planning on keeping Jones and moving Rask until the Dougie stuff came to a head and Sweeney thought it would be too much of a hit to move all three (40, 17, 27) in one offseason. I could see him trying again if the return was good and Rask was willing to go. His NMC becomes a NTC this offseason with him naming 8 teams he would go to.

I would agree although I'm definitely not at a point where I move him for whatever just to get rid of him. There's only a few years left on the contract and I think he's definitely a guy who would draw some interest at a deadline since he is capable of some incredible stretches of hockey. We're struggling to even get a comfortable back up, and I don't see an in house option. Puts a lot of pressure on bringing a good starter here and we will need a good one with this defense being a work in progress.

But at this point I would try and do whatever I can control to get this guy moving in the right direction and I would start with changing up his coaching in the off season and definitely getting some therapy for the mental part of his game. He's also the lightest goalie in the league and does not handle a heavy workload so I would not go into next season with a questionable back up situation and would commit to getting him regular rest. As another poster said, he could be beyond the point of bouncing back with rest from when they overworked him with an ongoing injury. I guess its possible.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

I've watched almost every Flyers game this season.
False. He makes the big ones. But...but...but.

To the tune of a 2.76 GAA and .905 SV%. Numbers of course don't tell the whole story but it's tough to explain away those numbers.

Rask, OTOH, has posted a 2.32 GAA and .912 SV% even with his poor 2017 so far

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Tuuka has 33 wins in 56 starts and got the loser point in 4 more. The team wins 60% of the games he starts. If the team wins at a 60% rate and adds in a few loser points, they make the playoffs every year with ease. Who cares if his save percentage is .05% lower than someone else, or he gives up .2% more goals per game? The Bruins win a good deal more than they lose when he plays. Only 4 goalies in the league have more wins- that is the only comparison that should matter.

He has bad games, lets in soft goals and so does every other goalie in the league. If Tuuka was a mediocre to poor goalie as some are suggesting, he wouldn't have 33 wins. What is mediocre to poor is the defending in front of him on many nights.

In the playoffs, everything in your post matters exactly zero. All teams are good, the parity is high, and you need every edge you can get, particularly in nets. One bad goal in a playoff game often is the game.

 

[alg363636]

He's been absolute trash in 2017. I've always been one of the biggest Rask supporters on this board but 2017 has been completely unacceptable. His stats are garbage for a back-up and we pay him 7 million dollars.

Not sure what the issue is. My only defense is he started sucking after he took that shot to the head against Nashville. So maybe he had a small injury on top of being overworked? I'm sure we should have shut him fown for at least a few games but our back ups are also trash so he played through it.

Regardless, this kind of play isn't acceptable for a 7 millions dollar goalie. But his value is probably in the toilet - look at what Bishop got. I guess if we don't get rid of him over the summer we need to try and a new goalie coach, new training regimen and proably a therapist. And for ****'s sake a competent back up.

We've been winning despite Rask in 2017 and **** if we let him ruin our playoff goals. Not three years in a row.

 

[ReggieMoto]

I think Rask is struggling and while I believe he takes a lot of unfair crap here, I would move him if I got the chance. Not because I think he's awful, but because I would like to get out from underneath that contract (if he's not going to perform like a Top 5 goalie).

So if I agree with you here does that make me anti-Rask?

 

[TMac21]

He can and has to be better.

 

[ReggieMoto]

Hopefully he gets some rest down the stretch and find his form. This time lives and dies with his regardless of what people want to believe. The bruins have no other goalie options.

How much more rest does he friggin' need? He had the bye week and the All-Star break. He hasn't been played criminally hard since the All-Star break. If he can't keep up now then we can just kiss it all good-bye now because he'll never be able to take us through the playoffs if he needs rest now.

 

[Spanky185]

I'd love to replay the season to date without Rask, just to see how far out of the playoffs they'd be. Hint: it'd be a lot

 

[rainone99]

I'd love to replay the season to date without Rask, just to see how far out of the playoffs they'd be. Hint: it'd be a lot

Depends who is the goalie you get in exchange... I would call Winnipeg and ask for Hellebuyck and a swap of 1st's.....

 

[bobbyorr04]

I'd love to replay the season to date without Rask, just to see how far out of the playoffs they'd be. Hint: it'd be a lot

Can we also replay the season without Claude too?...because that might've made a difference also.

I don't think many fans are disputing the fact that Rask can be a very good if not an elite goalie at times, but my pet peeve with Rask is that when the B's are in a must win game, Rask often ****'s the bed in these games.

Although I can't speak for other fans, I think Rask (for unknown reasons) lacks mental toughness when it comes to crunch time.

 

[bobbyorr04]

So if I agree with you here does that make me anti-Rask?

It doesn't take much to be labeled anti-Rask or a Rask hater around here.
Apparently, much to my surprise, I've been labeled the #1 Rask offender by a poster today, which I find funny since I don't remember posting many anti-Rask comments this season.

How much more rest does he friggin' need? He had the bye week and the All-Star break. He hasn't been played criminally hard since the All-Star break. If he can't keep up now then we can just kiss it all good-bye now because he'll never be able to take us through the playoffs if he needs rest now.

Good point!

How much rest does a $7 million dollar man actually need?

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

I'd love to replay the season to date without Rask, just to see how far out of the playoffs they'd be. Hint: it'd be a lot

Can you tell me in your hypothetical crystal ball where we'd be if we made any other dramatic change on our team?

People love to say xxx would happen without Rask, but who is to say the alternative would be better or worse? We don't know. Won't know. And can't know.

What we do know, Rask has played as a very mediocre starter the past 3 seasons. He's got a solid number of wins, which is great, but point is we pay him 7 million a year to be a key player, not winning despite bad games.

 

[bobbyorr04]

On the bright side against the Leafs, Rask looked like the Rask the B's will need to start another winning streak.

 

[DaJackal]

Depends who is the goalie you get in exchange... I would call Winnipeg and ask for Hellebuyck and a swap of 1st's.....

The Jets would take that in a heartbeat. 95 % of the fanbase would probably offer to personally drive Helle to the airport.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

He played well, too bad the team in front of him didn't finish their job.

Need Tuukka to help steal some games, any help from anyone part of the team is welcome at this point.

 

[EverettMike]

He better play tonight.

 

[Dellstrom]

On the bright side against the Leafs, Rask looked like the Rask the B's will need to start another winning streak.

Yep. That's the Tuukka we need for the last 10 games. I'm guessing he'll play 8-9 of them.

 

[VanIsle]

One more set of back to backs with the Panthers first then the Blackhawks.

Depending on where they are in the standings Rask could play all of the remaining games.

 

[JOKER 192]

On the bright side against the Leafs, Rask looked like the Rask the B's will need to start another winning streak.

He was really sharp against Toronto, this is the kind of performance we need from him night in night out.

 

[JAD]

Can you tell me in your hypothetical crystal ball where we'd be if we made any other dramatic change on our team?

People love to say xxx would happen without Rask, but who is to say the alternative would be better or worse? We don't know. Won't know. And can't know.

What we do know, Rask has played as a very mediocre starter the past 3 seasons. He's got a solid number of wins, which is great, but point is we pay him 7 million a year to be a key player, not winning despite bad games.

So are you saying you think that at times Rask becomes complacent because their is no competition to take his job away?

What I have seen watching Rask is that at times he plays very well, but I think often as the season moves on he tires; maybe not so much physically, but more so mentally. It is too bad he makes so much money, because what the team really needs is another number 1 starter ( or a 1b) who can play 30 - 35 games and be capable of winning 20+. It would relieve so much of the mental burden that I believe if Rask was held to 40 - 45 games through the season he would be much more focused and engaged. Unfortunately, because of Rask's cap hit it makes it almost impossible to address the goaltending tandem with such a serviceable counterpart other than getting lucky or hopefully through an ELC.
Rask may be one of the best in the game but I think he is overworked and that is the main cause for any negativity in his game.
The Bruins don't have much choice but to rely upon him at the moment, which is not entirely current management's fault.
I may be wrong but that is my take.