The Boston Bruins signed two of their biggest players with the recent signings of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Though they may not be completely done adding pieces this season, it is time to start thinking about the future and look at signing players ahead of their expiring contracts. In today’s NHL rumours, we will be discussing the Bruins and where they stand with David Pastrnak.
NHL Rumours
Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney characterized negotiations w/looming UFA David Pastrnak as “ongoing” with no timeline or imminent agreement in place. Sweeney said the B’s wouldn’t be alarmed if Pastrnak goes into the season unsigned 🐻🏆🏒https://t.co/HGOyA5yGkp
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) August 10, 2022
The 26-year-old has one season left on his current contract with the Bruins. Because Pastrnak has been a crucial piece for the Bruins, signing him long-term should be a priority for the Boston front office. GM Don Sweeny told reporters, “ongoing would be the best way to describe it. We’ve been in regular contact with JP. We’ve made our intentions known all along to David and we’ll continue to do that.” Sweeney goes on to insinuate the contract may not get signed until after the start of this season. His current contract is a six-year, $40 million dollar deal. Though, his next contract will likely cost Boston much more than $6.6 million a year.
Pastrnak has been with Boston all eight seasons of his NHL career. In that time, he has become nearly a career point-per-game player. In 510 games played total, he has scored 240 goals and recorded 504 points. Last season Pastrnak scored 40 goals and recorded 77 points in 72 games played. This is his second 40+ goal season. He is not only a player who can score goals but is also a playmaker.
What Keeping Pastrnak Looks Like
Pastrnak has consistently played on a line with Bergeron and Brad Marchand, but due to an injury, Marchand will miss the beginning of the upcoming season. This means Boston’s top line could consist of Pastrnak, Bergeron, and Krejci. Pastrnak has consistently been a 70-80 point player in his career and that will likely be the expectation for this season.
However, because of Pastrnak’s ability to make plays, he is going to impact everyone on the line. Krejci will likely benefit from playing with Pastrnak and it’s possible you could see his numbers increase from recent seasons. Signing Pastrnak long-term gives the Bruins something to build around going forward. With an aging core, this sets Boston up for a new wave of core players, when that time comes.
Don Sweeney gives update on David Pastrnak contract talks https://t.co/fiolZiDT2k #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/8P1XN4d9QJ
— WEEI (@WEEI) August 10, 2022
