Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy comments on the Tuukka Rask situation in Boston

After undergoing hip surgery to repair a torn labrum, UFA goaltender Tuukka Rask is expected to be sidelined through the remainder of 2021, but is expected to be given a clean bill of health in early 2022, clearing him to be able to return to pro hockey, if that's the path he chooses.

The 34-year-old has had his fair share of injury issues over the past couple of seasons and has also taken a personal leave from the team for family reasons, which begs the question.. is this the last we've seen of Rask in the NHL?

Well, according to Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, he believes that Rask does indeed have plenty of game left in him and would still be a very capable NHL goaltender if he chooses to return. Cassidy made the comments during a recent appearance on TSN 1200 in Ottawa.

As we already know, Bruins GM Don Sweeney would welcome Rask back with open arms, should the veteran netminder wish to return, after comments that Sweeney made in July, indicating that the door will remain open for Rask if he wished to return to the Bruins.

The one caveat here is that the Bruins currently have just over $1M in available cap space, though they could just as easily move a body out to open up the necessary space to sign Rask if he does wish to return this season.

Rask, a 14-year NHL veteran, has played his entire NHL career with the Bruins and has gone on record as stating that he has no intention of signing anywhere except Boston at this stage of his career.

The Bruins signed UFA Linus Ullmark to a 4-year, $20M deal ($5M AAV) earlier this offseason to replace Rask as the starter in Boston, with 22-year-old Jeremy Swayman set to cover the backup duties this season.

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