BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Weekend Plans For Rask Scrapped

Well, the Boston Bruins plan for Tuukka Rask to get a few warm-up games in Providence this weekend was nice while it lasted.

The AHL announced on Thursday afternoon that both P-Bruins games set vs. the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Providence this weekend have been postponed until April due to COVID protocol issues with the Flyers farm club.

Well, that Tuukka Rask weekend stint in Providence didn’t last too long https://t.co/l8EV0Lsa88

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) January 6, 2022

So now once again a plan that had been carefully put into place to have Rask potentially ready to hop into NHL action with the Boston Bruins next week has taken another turn due to COVID.

It remains to be seen how Rask and the Bruins will piece together something to test out his hip, conditioning and readiness for game action, but it’s something both player and team are looking forward to.

“That was a long, long period that I was just skating by myself and not with the team, so that was something different,” said Rask, who last played for the Providence Bruins during the 2008-09 season. “And for sure, when you’ve played hockey your whole life and grown up in a locker room, basically, that’s something that you miss when you don’t have that. [It] definitely makes you appreciate it even more when you have that time off and come back.

“[The hip was] one of those wear and tear situations when you hit enough miles that your body’s just starting to break up on you; and goalies, the hips are the first ones to go usually. The biggest issue for me was the catching of the joint and the pain that that created. That all is gone. It makes a huge difference. Every time I go to butterfly and get up, I don’t have to think about it locking up on me again and creating that pain. I feel great.”

*The Boston Bruins did sign Tuukka Rask to a PTO today. Now we may have to wait to figure out exactly when he’s going to play any games for the Providence Bruins. (Boston Hockey Now)

*The Colorado Avalanche are certainly a deep, talented NHL roster and FOH (Friend of Haggs) Adrian Dater says it’s the deepest team he’s seen in 20 years. (Colorado Hockey Now)

*Will Marc-Edouard Vlasic respond to the first healthy scratch of his very solid NHL career? Inquiring minds in San Jose really want to know. (San Jose Hockey Now)

*Want some resolutions/improvements that the NHL could stand to have in the New Year of 2022? Here you go. (Pucks with Haggs)

*Nick Ritchie was placed on waivers on Thursday, a development that Boston Bruins certainly could have seen coming after the way he played during his two seasons in Boston. (Hockey News)

*Congrats to Jakub Voracek on hitting the 1,000 games milestone at the NHL level and doing it back where it started for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

727 games for Philly and 1,000 in the NHL.

A few friends have a message for 9️⃣3️⃣ as he reaches a new career milestone. Congrats, @jachobe! pic.twitter.com/SCO3I1eQjV

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 6, 2022

*For something completely different: Interesting hearing Ralph Macchio wasn’t a big fan of Karate Kid 3 prior to really fleshing out the Terry Silver character during season 4 of Cobra Kai. The newest season of Cobra Kai, by the way, is outstanding. (Hollywood Reporter)