Had a chance to talk to Boston goalie Tuukka Rask this season, and he wasn't about to vent against Toronto Maple Leafs and former GM John Ferguson, Jr. for trading him three years ago.
"No, I don't hold anything against them or anything like that," Rask said after a B's practice. "It was a long time ago and I've moved on from that, and I think they (Toronto) have too."
Still, one has to wonder where the Leafs would be today if they had insisted that the Bruins take Justin Pogge for Andrew Raycroft. (Which of course begs the question- would Boston have done the deal?)
"It was a surprise (to find out I'd been traded), but I'm very happy with the way things happened for me here in Boston, and so I don't think too much about Toronto anymore. It's all part of the game, and nothing personal. You have to be a professional and deal with it and worry about playing hockey, not things you don't have control of."
Tuukka may be over it, but I seriously doubt the folks in Toronto are. The way they defend the inconsistent play of rookie Jonas Gustavsson reminds me of the famous phrase, "Methinks thou doth protest too much." Rask is the kind of talent who could have them in the thick of the playoff hunt, a player who could have stolen some points when they really needed them back in October.
Ah, c'est la vie. All is fair in love and hockey.
But, there's a chance this week to see where these two teams stand when former Bruin Phil Kessel and Rask get a chance to stick it to their old clubs. They may claim it's nothing personal, but let's face it- human nature is human nature. These guys will be jazzed, and with two home-and-home games, five days apart, you can bet that Rask will start at least one of them.
Should be great drama, regardless of what side of the fence you happen to be on.
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We have absolutely not moved on.
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