Player Discussion Tuukka Rask - VII

[Gee Wally]

Where NHL Network ranked Tuukka Rask among Top 10 goalies


The NHL Network continued its offseason "top players right now" series by revealing it's "Top 10 Goalies Right Now" list on Sunday.

It should be no surprise to anyone other than people who've had an agenda against Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask for more than half a decade that the Boston puck stopper checked in at No. 5 on the list.

Rask is coming off a bounce-back regular season going 27-13-5 in 46 games (45 starts) with a 2.48 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. His goals saved above average was a positive 3.21. He was, of course, aided by the addition of Jarsolav Halak, who appeared in 40 games (37 starts) and had a .922 save percentage and 2.34 GAA.

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[Dr Hook]

Kind of low-ranked to be honest. Price is in decline, and not sure how Ben Bishop in anyone's universe that isn't eating home-cooking is better than Rask. The two Russians, okay, I can see the argument, but if he is behind those guys, it isn't by any measurable amount.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Kind of low-ranked to be honest. Price is in decline, and not sure how Ben Bishop in anyone's universe that isn't eating home-cooking is better than Rask. The two Russians, okay, I can see the argument, but if he is behind those guys, it isn't by any measurable amount.

Rask is rated that high based on his fabulous playoff run.

Hard to imagine him in the top 10 if the list was compiled after the regular season. Remember Rask was not in the top 10 in save percentage or goals against this season. But his backup was 9th in SP and 7th in GAA. In fact, Tuukka has been in the top 10 in Save percentage since 2013-14.

As for Ben Bishop, he was the runner-up in the Vezina voting. 2nd team all-star, leader in save percentage and 2nd in goals against.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Where NHL Network ranked Tuukka Rask among Top 10 goalies


The NHL Network continued its offseason "top players right now" series by revealing it's "Top 10 Goalies Right Now" list on Sunday.

It should be no surprise to anyone other than people who've had an agenda against Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask for more than half a decade that the Boston puck stopper checked in at No. 5 on the list.

Rask is coming off a bounce-back regular season going 27-13-5 in 46 games (45 starts) with a 2.48 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. His goals saved above average was a positive 3.21. He was, of course, aided by the addition of Jarsolav Halak, who appeared in 40 games (37 starts) and had a .922 save percentage and 2.34 GAA.

How is that a bounce-back regular season?

The year before he was 34-14-5 in 54 games with a 2.36 GAA and 917 SP.

 

[Dr Hook]

Rask is rated that high based on his fabulous playoff run.

Hard to imagine him in the top 10 if the list was compiled after the regular season. Remember Rask was not in the top 10 in save percentage or goals against this season. But his backup was 9th in SP and 7th in GAA. In fact, Tuukka has been in the top 10 in Save percentage since 2013-14.

As for Ben Bishop, he was the runner-up in the Vezina voting. 2nd team all-star, leader in save percentage and 2nd in goals against.

I would take Rask over Bendiver any day. But no one on the team, with the strange exception of Danton Heinen, is such a polarizing figure among fans. I am in the love Tuuka camp and believe he is a top 3 NHL goalie at this point in his career and based on the state of the league. We will obviously agree to disagree on this one, though

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I would take Rask over Bendiver any day. But no one on the team, with the strange exception of Danton Heinen, is such a polarizing figure among fans. I am in the love Tuuka camp and believe he is a top 3 NHL goalie at this point in his career and based on the state of the league. We will obviously agree to disagree on this one, though

Rask and Bishop have remarkably similar career numbers.

Rask:
Regular season 265-150-58 .921 2.28
Playoffs 50-39 .927 2.19


Bishop:

Regular season 201-112-32 .921 2.30
Playoffs 28-19 .929 2.12

Same age, Tuukka makes a little more dough.

Pretty much a wash at this point.​

 

[arider1990]

Rask and Bishop have remarkably similar career numbers.

Rask:
Regular season 265-150-58 .921 2.28
Playoffs 50-39 .927 2.19


Bishop:

Regular season 201-112-32 .921 2.30
Playoffs 28-19 .929 2.12

Same age, Tuukka makes a little more dough.

Pretty much a wash at this point.​

The biggest difference is that Tuukka has played in 473 regular season games and 89 postseason while Bishop has played in 345 regular season games and 47 postseason games. The fact that they are similar even though Rask has played 128 regular season and 42 postseason games more then Bishop means that Rask has been a better goalie longer.

 

[missingchicklet]

Tuukka played well enough to help put his team in the position to win the Cup, and would have easily won the Conn Smythe had the Bs pulled out game 7. It's too bad the team in front of him did not rise to the occasion when it mattered most. The Bs are lucky to have him.

I would take Rask over Price at this point ten times out of ten. Not sure why Bishop is ranked so high. Very good goalie, but not better than Rask.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Tuukka played well enough to help put his team in the position to win the Cup, and would have easily won the Conn Smythe had the Bs pulled out game 7. It's too bad the team in front of him did not rise to the occasion when it mattered most. The Bs are lucky to have him.

I would take Rask over Price at this point ten times out of ten. Not sure why Bishop is ranked so high. Very good goalie, but not better than Rask.

See previous posts.

 

[NDiesel]

I would take Rask over Bendiver any day. But no one on the team, with the strange exception of Danton Heinen, is such a polarizing figure among fans. I am in the love Tuuka camp and believe he is a top 3 NHL goalie at this point in his career and based on the state of the league. We will obviously agree to disagree on this one, though

I'm also with you in the love Rask category. I get where some people come from - in the end winning is what matters most and he has yet to take the Bruins all the way.

This is a guy that has provided stability in one of the most important positions for a almost decade now.

We are very lucky and a lot of people don't realize that we can be in a position like the Oilers or Flyers or Sabres or many other teams who have been trying to find a solid starter for the better part of the last decade. We can be watching this amazing core do their best, but ultimately fall short of the playoffs every second season because our goaltender is too inconsistent. Meanwhile we are very lucky to go into every season knowing that we have a top 10 to top 15 goalie who will chip in 30 wins for us.

 

[Trap Jesus]

That's just a straight up bad list, almost everyone on the main board is in agreement. That ranking means nothing. He was also a headcase earlier this season and had his job legitimately usurped by Halak for a period of time, his regular season overall was not very good at all.

 

[NDiesel]

That's just a straight up bad list, almost everyone on the main board is in agreement. That ranking means nothing. He was also a headcase earlier this season and had his job legitimately usurped by Halak for a period of time, his regular season overall was not very good at all.

Actually majority of people on the main board said that the players on the list were fine, the positioning was the issue. You have an agenda against him though (I've seen you post multiple threads on the main board trying to push that Rask isn't good) so I'm not surprised you left that part out.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Actually majority of people on the main board said that the players on the list were fine, the positioning was the issue. You have an agenda against him though (I've seen you post multiple threads on the main board trying to push that Rask isn't good) so I'm not surprised you left that part out.

Having an opinion doesn't mean you have an agenda.

Funny that we needed a new Rask thread for this great news, the last one was only at 7 pages.

 

[Gee Wally]

Having an opinion doesn't mean you have an agenda.

Funny that we needed a new Rask thread for this great news, the last one was only at 7 pages.

Heres hoping this one will be more civil. ...............One way or the other.

Shame you cant see/read whats been deleted from public view.

 

[finchster]

The biggest difference is that Tuukka has played in 473 regular season games and 89 postseason while Bishop has played in 345 regular season games and 47 postseason games. The fact that they are similar even though Rask has played 128 regular season and 42 postseason games more then Bishop means that Rask has been a better goalie longer.

It isn't an all-time list, it is a list regarding today. Rask has been better than Ben Bishop over his career, but regarding today and tomorrow is a different question.

Bishop vs Rask voting records and finishes

Player	Vezina Finishes	All-Star team selections	Hart Record	Sv%/ Finishes
Rask	1,5,7,7	1,4,5,7,8	(best was 11)	0.921/ 1,2,3
Bishop	2,2,3	2,2,3	10,10	0.921/1,2,7

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

However, Bishop isn't that far off all time really. Bishop probably needs one more elite season and a very strong playoff and there is an argument to be had.

 

[bob27]

I don't think there's a more talented goalie in the league. It shows when he cares. Unfortunately he goes through stretches when it's pretty obvious he's not fully focused, often at the beginning of the season or the end if there's not much to play for. That said, he almost always dials it in for playoffs and his stats back that up.

 

[NDiesel]

Having an opinion doesn't mean you have an agenda.

Funny that we needed a new Rask thread for this great news, the last one was only at 7 pages.

You're correct - but the fact that you aren't content with just trying to prove to Bruins fans that he isn't a great goalie, but need to go to the main board as well for validation shows me that this is more than just an opinion on him.

Then you come in and say the majority of people think it's a bad list on the main boards which at the time was flat out untrue. More people have posted since then and it's half and half on who are okay with it and who aren't.

As of now the majority of people who dislike the list on the main board are citing two main reasons:

Binnington is on it
Frederik Andersen isn't on it

No one has posted saying Rask is undeserving either. I'm curious to see what your list would be compared to this one. I would probably drop Binnington out at this point and put in Andersen. The order would change but that's about it. Maybe Rinne comes out for Murray, but that move is debatable.

In the end you're welcome to your opinion, I'm biased to one side you're biased to the other, so we will never agree when it comes to him.

 

[LouJersey]

if Tuukka doesn't have the entire fanbase behind him after carrying them these play-offs he never will. He deserved better this year from some of you and especially his team. Without him they don't sniff the Cup finals.

 

[Trap Jesus]

You're correct - but the fact that you aren't content with just trying to prove to Bruins fans that he isn't a great goalie, but need to go to the main board as well for validation shows me that this is more than just an opinion on him.

Then you come in and say the majority of people think it's a bad list on the main boards which at the time was flat out untrue. More people have posted since then and it's half and half on who are okay with it and who aren't.

As of now the majority of people who dislike the list on the main board are citing two main reasons:

Binnington is on it
Frederik Andersen isn't on it

No one has posted saying Rask is undeserving either. I'm curious to see what your list would be compared to this one. I would probably drop Binnington out at this point and put in Andersen. The order would change but that's about it. Maybe Rinne comes out for Murray, but that move is debatable.

In the end you're welcome to your opinion, I'm biased to one side you're biased to the other, so we will never agree when it comes to him.

What are you talking about? The reaction is insanely negative. I see one comment about right guys/wrong order and another saying they think the list is fine, but it's still overwhelmingly negative overall.

Rask is someone that looks fine statistically on the surface level, you have to dig deeper under the surface to find his flaws, which are fatal.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Rask is someone that looks fine statistically on the surface level, you have to dig deeper under the surface to find his flaws, which are fatal.

Comedy gold.

If Rask is "fatally flawed", so is every other NHL goalie.

 

[NDiesel]

What are you talking about? The reaction is insanely negative. I see one comment about right guys/wrong order and another saying they think the list is fine, but it's still overwhelmingly negative overall.

Rask is someone that looks fine statistically on the surface level, you have to dig deeper under the surface to find his flaws, which are fatal.

Again, we will never agree on Rask and I think @LouJersey just summed it up perfectly - if you don't like him after that playoff run then you never will. I'll take your word on his fatal flaws (huge hyperbole), when I watch the game I don't see them so maybe I don't have the eye that you have.

I'll ask again though, if you think the list is so terrible then let's see your top 10. I don't even need to see the justifications, just the list.

 

[CDJ]

if Tuukka doesn't have the entire fanbase behind him after carrying them these play-offs he never will. He deserved better this year from some of you and especially his team. Without him they don't sniff the Cup finals.

This x 1000000

He put the damn team on his back

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

What are you talking about? The reaction is insanely negative. I see one comment about right guys/wrong order and another saying they think the list is fine, but it's still overwhelmingly negative overall.

Rask is someone that looks fine statistically on the surface level, you have to dig deeper under the surface to find his flaws, which are fatal.

This is just silly.

I am convinced if the Bruins did win game 7 you would of blamed Rask because they didn't win in 5 games.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Again, we will never agree on Rask and I think @LouJersey just summed it up perfectly - if you don't like him after that playoff run then you never will. I'll take your word on his fatal flaws (huge hyperbole), when I watch the game I don't see them so maybe I don't have the eye that you have.

I'll ask again though, if you think the list is so terrible then let's see your top 10.

I think goalies are tough to rank in general because it fluctuates so much. I think it's more about finding goalies that are consistent, whether it's year-to-year performance or the ability to step up in big moments. The guys I would put ahead of Rask that come to mind if I was taking a goalie for next year + playoffs are (in no particular order):

Gibson, Vas, Price, Rinne, Holtby, Murray, Crawford (if healthy), Bishop, Binnington, Andersen, Hellebuyck, Bobrovsky

 

[Trap Jesus]

This is just silly.

I am convinced if the Bruins did win game 7 you would of blamed Rask because they didn't win in 5 games.

All I'm asking for is one time where he doesn't collapse horrifically.