The reports of Tuukka Rask's return from Europe have proven to be absolutely true.
The Finnish goaltender was on the ice Tuesday morning when a group of local NHL skaters participated in an informal skate at a local arena in the Boston area.
Rask dominated in the Czech Republic while playing for HC Plzen after an early scare when he tweaked a past groin injury, and put up a 6-2 record with a .936 save percentage and a 1.85 goals against average. But he presumably reaped everything he could out of the European experience, and now will wait things out in Boston as an NHL season will most likely either live or die in the next six weeks.
Rask's future Bruins goaltending partner Anton Khudobin remains in the KHL to get playing time. Rask has plenty to prove this year on a one-year contract for 3.5 million as he attempts to show that he can be the next franchise goaltender for the Bruins. He got a good start by dominating in his Czech stint.
Rask was joined on the ice Tuesday morning in Boston by B's skaters Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand and Shawn Thornton as well as Mike Mottau, Jay Pandalfo, Ryan Whitney, Brandon Yip and Keith Yandle among others.