David Pastrnak – 40 Games – 19 Goals, 14 Assists, 33 Points – ATOI: 17:42
Who saw this coming?
Many banked on David Pastrnak having a breakout season this year. The expectation was that he would one day become a legitimate top-six forward after showing his offensive skillset. After bulking up over the last three seasons since being drafted, Pastrnak showed that he’s more impactful than anyone could have possibly projected.
In his Pastrnak’s first 26 games this season, he scored 19 goals. That’s a 60-goal pace over a full 82-game season. Though he hasn’t scored in his last 14 games, he’s still been a major contributor for the Bruins this year. Following his 19th goal of the year, Pastrnak saw a seven-game pointless drought. The 20-year-old has now posted points in four of his last six games, however, compiling seven points, including two multi-point efforts.
Among forwards with a minimum of 25 games played, Pastrnak has the third-highest CF% with 59.09. The only two forwards to post a higher percentage than Pastrnak? That would be Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. When Pastrnak plays, he dominates the game. He’s a true impact player that can be utilized in all situations in his third season and has been able to demonstrate his two-way ability at the NHL level with his 6-foot frame finally filled out weight-wise.
Pastrnak is an elite forward. In terms of right wingers, he can now be considered one of the best in all of the NHL. He’s shown, similarly to the No. 1 player on this list, that hot-streaks happen. Pastrnak has been putting up points as of late, but when he starts to score goals again, there’s no telling how long he’ll continue that streak for.