WATERTOWN, Mass. — The world of sports activities can typically have as many six levels of separation much like the film units of Hollywood.
Retired NHL goaltenders Andrew Raycroft and Tuukka Rask each performed for the Boston Bruins throughout completely different occasions of their careers.
The pair mirrored just a little bit on their distinctive reference to NESN.com Thursday forward of the debut episode of NESN’s “Unobstructed Views.”
Raycroft was chosen by the Bruins within the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and performed 108 video games for Boston throughout 5 seasons. Rask was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs within the 2005 NHL Entry Draft however by no means performed for the franchise. The Leafs traded Rask to the Bruins on the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, for Raycroft.
“We undoubtedly didn’t know one another,” Raycroft mentioned. “Tuukka was solely 19, I didn’t even know his title. We didn’t even actually join all over my enjoying (profession).”
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“I knew nothing concerning the Maple Leafs. I knew nothing concerning the Bruins,” Rask added. “… Once I obtained traded, the one factor I knew about (Raycroft) was that he gained the Calder and that he performed in Finland in the course of the lockout once I obtained drafted.”
The 2 netminders didn’t really meet and begin to join till Raycroft joined NESN in 2018 as an in-studio analyst for Bruins broadcasts.
They might not have performed collectively within the NHL, however each have sported the Spoked-B for the Boston Bruins Alumni Affiliation of their retirements and skate weekly with their “Unobstructed Views” co-star Patrice Bergeron.
Raycroft gained the Calder Trophy awarded to the “most proficient participant in his first 12 months of competitors within the Nationwide Hockey League” on the conclusion of the 2003-04 season. He’s the eighth Bruin to win the award and the final participant to take action whereas donning the Spoked-B.
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Posting a .926 save proportion and a couple of.05 goals-against common with a document of 29-18-9 in 57 video games, Raycroft earned the award over two proper wings from the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders, Michael Ryder and Trent Hunter respectively.
Rask made his debut for the Bruins within the 2007-08 marketing campaign however didn’t develop into an everyday starter till the 2009-10 season.
He gained a Stanley Cup as a member of the 2010-11 Bruins workforce and a Vezina on the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. Rask leads all Bruins goalies with 308 wins, is second in shutouts (52), and is tied for second in save proportion with Thomas (.921). Rask led the Bruins to 2 Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019. Sadly, the Black and Gold had been on the dropping finish of each collection. Nonetheless, his 57 playoff wins are the workforce’s finest all-time.
