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NHL Talking Points: Nylander, Rask updates, Senators Twitter drama

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for a faceoff against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at the Air Canada Centre on March 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for a faceoff against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at the Air Canada Centre on March 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 13: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins during the national anthem before the game against the Detroit Red Wings at the TD Garden on October 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 13: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins during the national anthem before the game against the Detroit Red Wings at the TD Garden on October 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Tuukka Rask is back on the ice after a leave of absence

Following a poor stretch of play, the Boston Bruins announced Friday that netminder Tuukka Rask had been granted a leave of absence. Little was disclosed about the nature of his whereabouts, but the Bruins were quick to offer their support. Captain Zdeno Chara remarked that the team would be “looking forward to having him back,” stating:

"It’s obviously very important … We support his decision and hopefully it’s gonna be solved soon and he’s gonna be back with us. Obviously we miss him. He’s our teammate, he’s our brother. He’s been here for a long time. We all understand and respect his privacy. In his absence, we support him and think of him and we have to play without him."

GM Don Sweeney further gestured to the importance of honoring Rask’s privacy:

"I think it’s important for everyone to respect his privacy and allow him to deal with it for the next few days … We just felt that it was important [to address] that he’ll be away from the team for a few days. If we have an update, accordingly, we certainly will [announce it]."

Absent from last Friday’s practice, as well as from contests on Saturday and Sunday against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights respectively, on Monday afternoon it remained unclear if the netminder would be set to return to action. But that all changed on Tuesday morning, when Rask hit the ice. As of now, he has officially rejoined the team.

Whatever the case, the hockey world should continue to respect the goaltender’s privacy.

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