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Report: ‘Starting point’ for Rask’s new deal is six years, $39 million

Boston Bruins v Winnipeg Jets

WINNIPEG, CANADA - FEBRUARY 17: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins keeps his eye on the puck during a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on February 17, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)

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Last summer, the Boston Bruins signed Tuukka Rask to a one-year, $3.5 million extension -- a “prove-it deal” designed for the Finnish netminder to show he was capable of carrying the No. 1 gig.

Well, Rask proved it.

And now he wants to get paid.

According to CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty, the starting point for Rask’s extension negotiations with Boston is for $39 million over six years -- an average annual cap hit of $6.5 million.

In terms of cap hit, the deal would tie Rask with Carolina’s Cam Ward for the third highest among active goalies.

The only ones earning more annually are Nashville’s Pekka Rinne ($7 million per) and New York’s Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875 million per).

Rask holds plenty of clout following a banner 2013 campaign.

He’s only 26, and coming off a year in which he went 19-10-5 during the regular season with a .929 save percentage and 2.00 GAA, then got even better in the playoffs, going 14-8 with a .940 save percentage and 1.88 GAA.

What’s more, Bruins don’t really have another option.

Anton Khudobin was a serviceable backup last season, though few figure he’s capable of handling an NHL starting gig. Malcolm Subban, taken in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, is years away from being able to compete for the job.

(UPDATE: This section should also include mention of Niklas Svedberg, the 23-year-old Providence product that won AHL goalie of the year for 2012-13.)

So, Rask is coming back. The question is at what price.

Boston is tight up against the cap -- just $5.8 million in space with 18 players signed -- but will essentially do whatever it takes to retain Rask, who may have been the club’s MVP this season.

What a hefty price tag could mean, however, is less money to offer pending UFA Nathan Horton.

The B’s also need to start looking toward an extension for Patrice Bergeron -- a UFA following 2013-14 -- and what they plan to do with Dennis Seidenberg, who also goes unrestricted next summer.