Boston Bruins select David Pastrnak in 2014 Entry Draft.

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; David Pastrnak poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number twenty-five overall pick to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins had to wait till the twenty fifth pick to get their first selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The Bruins first pick was going to be important for the organization (and totally nerve-wracking for us).

The Bruins had a choice to make here. Would the Black and Gold choose to evolve beyond its current identity as the ‘Big, Bad, Bruins’, or would they go with a player that fit their current persona? In the end, the Boston Bruins chose to go with a little bit of both. The Boston Bruins chose Czech native (and Swedish league player) David Pastrnak as their first round selection.

Causeway Crowd had Pastrnak as their second possible selection for the Bruins. Pastrnak is still young and he’s playing against much bigger players now. He’s got the ability to play in any forward position, and that flexibility could be crucial as the Bruins could be staring down an even uglier salary cap next season. While his season in Sweden was hampered by a concussion, he still had a very successful season playing for Sodertalje.

Here’s what we said about Pastrnak in our draft preview article:

David Pastrnak – Pastrnak is one of those players that can comfortably play on either wing or serve as a center. The 6’0′, 168lb player curent plays for Sodertalje in the Swedish Elite League. This year, Pastrnak was ranked fourth amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s assessments before the Draft. If [Adrian]Kempe (who went 29th to the Los Angeles Kings) is not available by the time the Bruins get to their pick, Pastrnak wouldn’t be a bad second choice for the Black and Gold. A Czech player with experience on European ice has worked for Boston in the past, and his skill is comperable to Carl Soderberg. He was an alternate captain for the U18 team in Finland, and could provide leadership for the Bruins in the future. He will need to get bigger before he sees serious time in Boston, and Providence would be a great stepping stone for him next season.

The Bruins won’t need his services immediately. He’s got a couple of years to be ready to wear the spoked ‘B’ full-time. It’s safe to say we can expect him to see another year in Sweden. After that, he’ll be playing for the baby Bruins in Providence. He’ll need to put on a few kilos to make the transition to the NHL. He has the speed of Daniel Paille, and the compete level of David Krejci.  It’s a great choice by the organization, and should reap further dividends down the road for the Bruins.