Main Photo – Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
The best gift possible has arrived for this eastern conference contender. Boston Bruins star winger David Pastrnak agreed to a long-term extension. The deal is for eight years and an AAV of $11.25 million. This is huge for the Bruins as they keep their star winger in town for the foreseeable future.
8x$11.25M for Pastrnak https://t.co/ZPNxcq345I
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 2, 2023
David Pastrnak Signs Long-Term Extension To Remain In Boston
This is the best thing for the team going forward. With the futures of captain Patrice Bergeron and long-time centre David Krejci uncertain, locking up Pastrnak for the long haul ensures the next wave is in place. Pastrnak has arguably been their best scorer and is right up there with being the best player on the team. Replacing his production would be difficult, so this is an excellent move for the future.
How This Impacts The Team
This move was a no-brainer decision for the Boston Bruins. As mentioned above, Bergeron and Krejci cannot play forever, and a new wave of Boston hockey is underway. The outlook for this team has its building blocks. They are set in new with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Franchise defenseman Charlie McAvoy paves the way on the back end and is complemented by Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk.
But the forward group is what ensures the next wave. Charlie Coyle is still in the fold, but this team is stout on the wings. Pastrnak joins an elite group of Brad Marchand, Taylor Hall, and Jake DeBrusk. Head Coach Jim Montgomery has balance in the lineup and options for his lines. This helps ensure the next wave of the Boston Bruins. And with Pastrnak locked in, they can pivot to finding a centre to play with him.
Why This Was An Important Move
Not only does this improve the outlook for the future, but Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak is also a great hockey player. He has established himself as one of the best wingers in the league, while also putting the puck in the net.
Over the last seven seasons, Pastrnak ranks fifth in the league in goals scored with 240, and his 91 power-play goals rank third. In addition, he is a 3x 30 goal scorer and 2x 40 goal scorer. His best season was in 2019-20 where he tallied 48 goals and 95 points. Pastrnak was a member of one of the best lines in hockey, while also having great chemistry with Czech native Krejci. In 546 games played (All With Boston), he has 265 goals, 289 assists, and 554 points. Being able to keep him long-term is great for the Bruins and for himself.
