Avalanche Trade Rumors
Avs trade talk: Is Tuukka Rask now an option?
With the NHL draft just a few days away (Tuesday and Wednesday) and free agency right after that (Oct. 9) and lots and lots of uncertainty about just how much teams will be able to afford to spend in these Covid-19 times, there are expected to be lots of players swapping teams very soon. One of the bigger names to suddenly appear on the “available for trade” boards is Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask. Could he interest the Avs?
The good folks over at Boston Hockey Now laid out a scenario in which Rask could become a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Mind you, it’s their trade proposal, not necessarily that of the Bruins or Avs.
Even Frank Seravalli of TSN had this to say about the Avs and their salary-cap situation in a recent “Trade Bait” piece: “Colorado Avalanche: Life is good when you’ve got all-world Nathan MacKinnon locked up for three more years at $6.3 million. GM Joe Sakic has a blank canvas and more than $20 million in space to spend, starting with a starting netminder.”
A couple things about Tuukka Rask: Bruins fans are tired of him, for the most part. He has yet to deliver a second Stanley Cup, after Tim Thomas gave Bs fans one in 2011. He left the playoff bubble in Toronto to spend more time with his family, which may or may not have soured relations with management some and partially why he may or may not be on the block right now.
In fact, Seravalli also wrote this: “Many were wondering if there would be fallout from Rask’s decision to leave the bubble for family reasons, a decision that was certainly supported by teammates. But multiple sources indicate that Bruins GM Don Sweeney has initiated conversations with teams about Rask’s market value over the last number of weeks.”
Rask is 33 years old and has a modified no-trade clause. He’s got some miles on him and some wonder just how long he wants to keep playing. He also is entering the final year of a contract that pays $7 million, then he’d become an unrestricted free agent. To get Rask, the Avs would almost certainly have to part with a pretty good roster player and maybe a high draft pick or two as well. The Avs have the 25th pick in Tuesday’s first round, which isn’t exactly a headline-grabber as trade bait, but add nicely in a package with another established player. How about Tyson Jost, NIkita Zadorov and a first for Rask?
What say you on Rask, Avs Nation?
Rask was the runner-up in the Vezina Trophy voting this season, posting a 26-8-6 record with five shutouts and a .929 save percentage (second-best in the NHL), and has a 291-158-64 record and .922 save percentage in 536 career games since 2007.
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Rask is a pretty solid goalie and I wouldn’t mind having him. But only a year left in his contract so I think what you proposed AD would be a huge over pay for him. I’d offer them Grubauer and Zadorov. They like them guys big right? Maybe a 3rd to go if that’s not enough.
Rask had three little girls back home, one of them presumably ill, and his head was not in the game. I think the fans are idiots over there.
Just no.
I would give the idea a hard “No” on a potential trade with Boston. Rask is no question a solid goalie, but he is now 33yrs old, he has already discussed publicly the idea of retiring & now is dealing family health concerns. I honestly don’t see him returning to Boston or the NHL.
I’ll give another hard no, why pay that much to trade for someone who’s heart isn’t in the game another, and at 7 mil no way that could be used way more efficiently somewhere else.
Side note dater, I’ve always wondered what the hell future considerations means in a trade, example the stall trade to Detroit, cause you never see the final details of the trade?
Is it take stall and a second, we dont want anything in return kinda deal?
If we can get him for the 25th pick and Jost and Big Z I would say absolutely yes….
We lose out on the 25th pick that may or may not hit long term…. We also unload Jost AND Big Z, which we were going to do anyway.
We get an elite NHL #1 who has won the Stanley Cup, played in one of the most pressured environments and thrived, won the Vezina and runner up on another… career 2.2 GAA and .922 SV%… No injury bug either.
Done Deal!
I completely disagree that would be a horrible trade for the Avs.
It would really only be horrible if the terms were different. If they wanted a key core player or one of our bright future assets I would agree with you and say no.
However AD proposed a very late 1st rounder, a dirty jock strap and an old bag of pucks that we were going to throw away already for a Stanley cup champion and Vezina winner. Also we still would have Grubauer/Frankie. Could keep one and trade the other.
Would still have cap space to go after Hall or Pietrangelo, whatever your preference was.
Noooooooo! Only Cup he has won was from the bench! Though he was one of the better Bruins in Game 7 against the Blues (looking at you Little Ball of Hate), nope, still no.
If i am joe theres no way i accept that trade offer. we are set with goalies. if boston wants to dump cap space they have to give us the sweetner.
Rask flourished under a very strong D with a cohesive Team D approach. One expensive year left. Freddie A in Toronto has flourished yet suffered on a team with no Dman above 4-5. Give Toronto 6 and 16, throw in damaged Timmins or a draft pick and get Freddie plus a fast, upside F.
Sorry if suddenly there are three different comments from me saying the same thing. My phones being dumb. I wouldn’t do the deal at all. Especially now, if the world was normal yes. But seeing as we don’t know how next season is going to go, bubbles or what, I wouldn’t take a risk on a guy that might opt out. There are other goalies out there, UFA and on the market that I’d try first. Though I might look at taking a chance on someone like Hanifin for some of the pieces you’re suggesting. Maybe just one of those… Read more »
No. We have a starting goaltender. Trade him for Rask…sure but that’d be dumb. Life as goalie for Avs post Roy will always be imperfect. If Grub can’t get healthy then trade him now. That is a smarter move than going to trade 3 roster players for one old goalie
I wouldn’t go for that trade proposal from your Boston colleagues. Jost, Z, and the pick each have value on their own in the trade market. Together they are worth more than a 32 year old goalie with one year left at $7mil. If we’re going to put that package together for a goalie, I would probably go after Kuemper, but that still feels like an overpay. Whatever move they make at goalie is going to tell us a lot about their confidence in the health of Grubauer.
Hard No… a first rounder? Are you insane? We’re not in the position that we NEED to trade for a goalie. Look at the free agency. There’s no way you get a 1st with those two. You’d be lucky to get a 5-6th, especially after the Wild/Sharks deal today… Keep dreaming.