Boston Bruins: Why Tuukka Rask is the best goalie in franchise history

Tuukka Rask might be one of the most polarizing athletes in all of Boston sports, but there is no denying that he is a Boston Bruins legend.

Rask has made it commonplace to bail the Bruins out of games with his amazing saves. He is able to lay out and be there when Boston needs him.

In 2021, Rask continued to play well. He went 15-5-2 with a 2.28 goals against average and a save percentage of .913. This was coming off a season where Rask boasted a 28-8-6 record with a league leading 2.12 goals against average.

This isn’t to say that Rask had his struggles. He had some injury issues that kept him out of some regular season games and had fans wondering if he would be ready for the playoffs.

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But so far Rask has been lights out in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has done everything that you could ask of your goaltender including making some highlight reel saves.

Still there was something special about Game Four. It was the game where Rask would pass a B’s legend and therefore solidify his place in franchise history.

Rask passed Gerry Cheevers for the most playoff victories in Boston’s history. It’s almost comical to think that skeptics question Rask’s ability to perform in big games.

Cheevers is a Bruins legend in his own right. He is almost a gold standard that all goaltenders in Boston are compared to.

But with respect to Cheevers, he is no longer the best goalie in Boston Bruins history. That honor now belongs to Tuukka Rask.

Why Tuukka Rask is best Boston Bruins goaltender of all time.

The most recent record breaker is the cherry on top, but Rask’s stats speak for themselves. He’s a two time All-Star and won the Vezina Trophy. In his career, he has amassed over 300 wins with a 2.27 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.

One day Rask will have his number retired. There is no doubt about that and this is a franchise that carefully selects who goes up in the rafters, unlike the organization that also plays at TD Garden. While Cheevers was great, his No.30 was not retired. Cheevers of course ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame and he will one day be joined by Rask.

At this point, it doesn’t even matter if Rask leads Boston to a Stanley Cup before the end of his career. He has done enough to sit atop of the Bruins goaltending mountain. Winning a cup would only solidify just how great Rask is.

So while I can only imagine what some people are thinking, Tuukka Rask is the best goaltender in Boston Bruins history. It really isn’t up for debate.