When the Baltimore Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson with their first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, it put to bed the long-running argument: Is Joe Flacco an elite quarterback? Now, the nation breathlessly turns to another favorite discussion: Is Tuukka Rask a truly elite, franchise-cornerstone goaltender?
The simple answer, based on one of the most fundamental stats goalies can be judged by, is yes. Rask holds the second-best all-time save percentage in NHL history, trailing Dominik Hasek by just .0002 percent. The gap between the pair widens in the Stanley Cup category. Hasek won two, and while Rask’s name is on the Bruins’ 2011 trophy, he has yet to grab hold of one as a starting goaltender.