Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak’s Best Fit

Frank Vatrano is out. David Krejci and David Pastrnak are in, but who will Pastrnak end up with? The 19 year old returned to the lineup in impressive fashion on Tuesday night, getting a goal and an assist in limited ice time in the Boston Bruins win at Montreal against the Canadiens.

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Last night at home was a different story. In a 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, Pastrnak’s ice time nearly doubled, and he did have an assist, but he also had a horrific game-high seven giveaways. He started the night on the right side of a line centered by David Krejci, and with Loui Eriksson on the left wing. He ended up then playing with Jimmy Hayes and Ryan Spooner (where he picked up an assist on Hayes’ second period goal.) Pastrnak ended the night on the fourth line with Maxime Talbot and Zac Rinaldo (which is the line he started out on in Montreal two night earlier.)

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Most kids Pastrnak’s age are more concerned with where they will spending spring break this year, and not with how they can make a living in the world’s greatest hockey league. Most 19 year olds aren’t making over $800,000 a year, either, to play a game.

The giveaways certainly caught the eye of his coach, Claude Julien, who wasn’t afraid to speak him mind about it in the post-game press conference. “In Dave Pastrnak’s case, I know he had an assist tonight, but you know I think he had about four or five giveaways there, unforced errors. He’s playing against top lines and we need players to be better in those areas, so I tried to put a little bit more experience to play against that.”

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Julien was asked about Pastrnak’s liabilities, and how the team can adapt to them. “Well, I think that’s a decision as an organization you make along the way here. Can he play here? Can he play on our top lines? Can he play – where do we put him so that he succeeds? So, we need to do the best thing for the player and that’s what we’re trying to do here, putting him with some good players and sometimes putting him on other lines where he’s got less pressure and probably can, I guess, use his skill level a little bit better. We’re doing our best here to try and give him an opportunity. He’s still 19 years old.”

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There’s no doubt the youngster has skills and ability. He had a good showing in four games at the World Junior Championship, with one goal and three assists in four games, along with an impressive 19 shots on goal. In 61 total NHL games, he has 14 goals, 21 assists and is a +11. To stay in Boston and not be heading back down Route 95 South, he has to stay out of the giveaways column.