Tukka Rask may want to consider taking Tim Thomas out for dinner or vacation or something to thank him for stepping aside.
According to a story via Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated, the Boston Bruins have signed Thomas’ former understudy to a lucrative deal.
Just one year after Rask stepped into Tim Thomas’ skates and took over as the team’s No. 1 goaltender, Rask and the Bruins have agreed on an eight-year deal worth $56 million.
Rask was one of the league’s elite stoppers this season, putting himself in Vezina contention with a 19-10-5 record, a 2.00 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He topped those numbers in the playoffs, winning 14 games and posting a league-best .940 save percentage and a 1.88 GAA.
As the numbers clearly state, Rask took advantage of the opportunity of being the Bruins No.1 goaltender after Thomas decided to take a full year off. The Bruins didn’t miss a beat with the previously untested Rask, falling just a few games shy of winning the Stanley Cup.