Jim Montgomery Jokes About Tuukka Rask Practicing With Bruins

The Bruins saw a sight they hadn’t seen since the end of the 2021-22 season.

Tuukka Rask joined Boston in practice as the one-day emergency backup goalie behind Linus Ullmark. Head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters Jeremy Swayman would not dress Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres due to an illness.

Rask became a team ambassador after he retired, and while he has played in alumni games, practice with the current Bruins team was a different story, according to Montgomery.

” … Unfortunately, it’s not going to be Tuukka,” Montgomery told reporters about Boston’s backup goalie situation, per team-provided video. “Tuukka was good out there, wasn’t he? He hasn’t worked out in two years he said.”

The Bruins recalled Brandon Bussi from Providence on an emergency basis to back up Ullmark on Thursday. The move confirmed Rask would not potentially come out of retirement as the team’s EBUG. But his involvement likely served to help the younger players on the Bruins lean on and learn from another veteran.

Montgomery did not give a timeline on how long Swayman would be out. The Bruins’ next game after Thursday is a Saturday matinee matchup against the Arizona Coyotes.

Boston also placed Derek Forbort on long-term injured reserve and recalled Mason Lohrei from Providence.