When a team drafts a player like David Pastrnak, it’s expected that they’ll want to sign him to a long-term contract extension to remain with the team throughout the entirety of his career. For the Boston Bruins, this is the case and it stands to reason as Pastrnak has scored 240 goals and 504 points through his first 510 regular season games, as well as 30 goals and 74 points in his first 70 playoff games.
The good news for the Bruins? Pastrnak also wants to get something done with the team as his goal is to remain in the city of Boston.
“Yeah, of course,” Pastrnak said when asked recently about continuing his career with the Bruins. “This city is where I got the chance to become the player I am, the human being I am. And the Boston organization has been an unbelievable part of it. I came here as a kid and now I am a man so [it] makes me really happy. A lot of great memories. I’ve said it many times, I love it here. It’s an honor to wear this jersey.”
Pastrnak Willing To Be Patient Throughout Negotiations
For Pastrnak, the desire to remain with the Bruins extends well beyond just himself and his love for the team and the city of Boston. It’s also a place where he’s gotten to grow with his partner; often, it’s easy to forget the human element of athletes’ lives. Beyond being a player, these athletes are also people who have friends, family and other commitments that also play a role in their career aspirations and goals.
“Obviously we love it here. This is our home,” said Pastrnak. “This is where I became a man. Spent unbelievable years with (partner) Rebecca and we are really happy here. Obviously my focus is moving forward to be ready for Game 1 (of the regular season). We are going to be missing some key players and I know I have to be on my game from the get-go.”
As far as a timeline is concerned for getting a deal done, Pastrnak isn’t too stressed about getting things done. There’s a lot of time between now and next offseason, and Pastrnak also understands that a lot of things have changed with this Bruins team. Right now, Pastrnak’s focus is on making sure the Bruins are able to compete early in the season, especially with all of the injuries plaguing the team to start the year.
As Pastrnak would mention, both Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy are incredibly important members of the team, and losing them to injuries for the early stages of the 2022-23 season will be a hard obstacle to overcome; despite this, though, the team is committed to being ready from the first game of the season with a new coach in Jim Montgomery. That’s where Pastrnak’s focus lies; helping the team compete while they recover from these early hurdles.
Pastrnak’s Teammates Giving Him Time and Space During Contract Negotiations
There’s obviously a mutual interest between Pastrnak and the Bruins’ management team to get a deal done. Beyond that, though, Pastrnak’s teammates are also hopeful something can get done. Still, they know that this time in a player’s career can be stressful and they are letting No. 88 handle it in his own way, in his own time.
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“The team wants to get it done and has been very vocal about that,” Marchand said regarding a new contract for Pastrnak “It’s something that we obviously want to happen, but we don’t need to add pressure. … if he wants to bring it up, that’s kind of how you leave it. … If not, give him the space. We all have to go through it. They’re stressful times. You don’t need guys adding to that stress level. … We just need him to score goals for us, we don’t need to throw him off.”
Marchand’s reasoning makes a lot of sense. For Pastrnak, this negotiation period, on top of having to focus on performing well for the team can certainly be taxing. Pastrnak would score 40 goals and 77 points in 70 games last season and could even do better next season with the newly re-signed David Krejci back in town. Allowing Pastrnak to focus without added stress and pressure coming from all angles is a smart, veteran move from Marchand that is surely appreciated by Pastrnak. The hope now is that this time and space will ultimately result in a new contract for Pastrnak that will keep him in Boston for the long term.