Jaroslav Halak Hopes To Be ‘Better Than Ever’ As Tandem With Tuukka Rask

Jaroslav Halak proved by he and Tuukka Rask were one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL.

Halak took over as the starting goalie after Rask opted out of the NHL bubble. And while the Boston Bruins’ season came to a heartbreaking end against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Halak certainly stood on his head throughout the second-round series.

Rask has one year remaining on his contract with Boston, while Halak inked a one-year extension with the team in May. So given any major surprises, the duo should be back in Black and Gold once the 2020-21 season begins.

And Halak is hopeful he and Rask will be “better than ever.”

“I was in contact with him. Obviously, we are good friends off the ice, so we kept talking in the bubble while he was there,” Halak told reporters over a Zoom call Thursday, “When he – I talked to him a bunch of times and obviously the approach for next season doesn’t change anything. I believe that we’ll be together and hopefully better than ever.”

Rask finished the regular season 26-8-6 with a 2.12 goals-against average and .929 save percentage, while Halak went 18-6-6 with a 2.39 GAA and .919 save percentage.

Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images