Tuukka Rask opted out of the Boston Bruins' playoff run in the NHL's Toronto bubble last August to be with his family, and the goaltender explained how serious the decision was in first media availability of training camp.

“Everything happened so quickly,” Rask told reporters in a team Zoom call on Wednesday. “I got a phone call the night before that our daughter wasn’t doing so well. They had to call an ambulance.

"At that point, my mind is spinning. I’m like ‘I need to get out of here.’ So then, the next morning I informed (Bruins president) Cam (Neely) and we had a brief talk and I just left.”

The Bruins announced Rask's decision less than two hours before Game 3 of their playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes on August 15.

The Bruins' players publically supported Rask and the veteran netminder said he knew he made the right decision.

“It was a tough decision to leave, but then again, it wasn’t,” Rask said. “I knew it was more important for me to be home at the time. So, that was easy to live with.

"On the other hand, you’re home, knowing you could be there, you should be there playing hockey. So, it’s tough to watch the games. Your brain is kind of spinning at that point, knowing you’re at the right place at home but then again you should be there stopping pucks. So, it was tough for a few weeks.”

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