Tuukka Rask To Miss At Least Another Week With Injury
BOSTON (CBS) -- Last week, the Bruins said that Tuukka Rask would be out due to injury until after the All-Star break. Now that the All-Star break has concluded, the latest update indicates Rask won't be back any time soon.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media on Monday that Rask will not even practice this week, due to "lingering effects" from his summer surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip.
Tuukka Rask will not practice this week. Jeremy Swayman starts tomorrow.
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) February 7, 2022
The 34-year-old Rask has not played since Jan. 24, when he allowed five goals on 27 shots in a home loss against Anaheim. Cassidy said after that loss that Rask was "not where he needs to be" and that the netminder would likely need seven or eight starts to get back into a proper rhythm.
Yet that game was just his fourth start after returning to the team in January, and his absence will now stretch to at least three weeks.
After practicing with the Bruins in November and December, Rask officially signed a one-year deal to return to the team in January.
Rask's absence will allow rookie Jeremy Swayman to make his first start since Jan. 6 on Tuesday night against the Penguins. Swayman has an 8-6-2 record, .916 save percentage, and 2.31 goals-against average this season. Linus Ullmark is 16-6-1 with a .913 save percentage and 2.64 GAA.
The Bruins host the Penguins on Tuesday and the Hurricanes on Thursday, before heading to Ottawa for a Saturday matinee. Next week, they'll play at the Rangers on Tuesday and at the Islanders on Thursday before heading back to Ottawa on Saturday.