Boston Bruins: Will Tuukka Rask Be Inducted Into Hockey Hall of Fame?

The case for Tuukka Rask to be inducted into the hall of fame post-retirement is a good one, though a few things still stand in his way.

The Finnish goalie was first drafted into the National Hockey League in 2005 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before having a chance to play for Toronto, the Leafs traded their 21st pick to the Boston Bruins; arguably one of the worst trades the Leafs ever made.

In the 2019-2020 season alone, starting in 41 games, Rask has tallied 26 wins, eight losses and six overtime losses. He had a .929 save percentage on 85 shots as well as five shutouts.

Though Rask is a 2011 Stanley Cup champion, a Vezina winner, a Jennings Trophy winner, a Seventh Player Award winner, a John Bucyk Award winner, a three-time All-Star and an Olympic bronze medal holder, there are a few things that keep his name off the list of future Hall of Famers.

For starters, Tuukka Rask has never won a Cup as the starting goaltender. His two biggest upsets came in 2013, losing game six against the Chicago Blackhawks and in 2019 losing Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues.

On top of those losses, Tuukka Rask was also the goalie who lost the Bruins the opportunity to win another Cup in 2010 in the conference semifinals against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins stood a good chance at beating both the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks teams from that year.

Regardless of how many Vezina trophies he could potentially win or how many All-Star teams Rask has been on during his career, if he is unable to win a Cup, then he probably will not make the Hall of Fame. As unfair as that sounds, it is the truth.

On the flip side, Henrik Lundqvist has never won a Cup, but due to not having played for teams as strong as Boston, he will most likely make it into the Hall of Fame before Rask. Think of it like Patrice Bergeron not winning his fifth Selke last year; unfortunate and suspicious.

Hopefully, this postseason Rask will get his chance to carry his team to a seventh Cup and finally be able to add his name to the list of those to be inducted in the future.