Rask: Thomas decision 'didn't shock me'

Speaking publicly for the first time this summer, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask said at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute that he wasn't overly surprised when he heard this summer that fellow goalie Tim Thomas was taking a year off from hockey. 

"Well I was and I wasn't," he said. "I wasn't expecting him to do that obviously, but I really appreciate what he's done and I appreciate his decision to be with his family and take some time off from hockey. It really didn't shock me that much, but I'm more upset to see him leave because we had a really good connection and friendship going on. I'm sure he's happy now where he is."

Added Rask: "I mean, everybody knew he was a little tired because he played so much the last two years, but it didn't seem like he was exhausted mentally."

Thomas, who was a two-time Vezina winner and a the Conn Smythe winner in the Bruins' 2011 Stanley-Cup winning season, became somewhat of a controversial figure for being more outspoken politically over the last calendar year. Most recently, Thomas sided with Chick fil-A in its stand against gay marriage. Asked what he though Thomas' legacy in Boston should be given the on-ice success and off-ice controversy, Rask said he couldn't answer because he was biased towards his former teammate. 

"To me, I look at it a little differently because he's a friend of mine, so I don't really care what he says on the Facebook or whatever because I don't read that stuff," Rask said. "He's been good to me, and we've been good friends and usually don't talk about that stuff, what he posts. All I know is he's been a good teammate to me and a good friend." 

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