Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak is not a player you trade
By Luke Ryan
The Boston Bruins lost the Stanley Cup Final and a lot of their key players underperformed, as a result fans are angry and frustrated. A group of those fans are that frustrated with David Pastrnak that they’re suggesting trading him.
His performance was lacklustre, granted. The Boston Bruins stand a better chance of winning if he whiffs on less pucks and if he puts decent shots on Jordan Binnnington, yes. But trading a 23 year-old David Pastrnak, on an incredibly team-friendly contract, that’s a ludicrous thought and shouldn’t be crossing any fan’s mind!
David Pastrnak has cracked 80 points the past two seasons for the Boston Bruins and he’ll likely be doing so for the next four seasons. All for a very low cap hit of $6.6 million. You only need look at the deal that’s just been dished out to Jeff Skinner to realise what a great deal this is.
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In the 2018-19 regular season, David Pastrnak played 66 games, contributing 38 goals and 43 assists for a total of 81 points. Jeff Skinner played all 82 games, netting 40 goals and 23 assists for the Buffalo Sabres – just 63 points. Skinner is going to be paid $2.4 million more per year than the Boston Bruins’ young Czech winger!
Take another comparison. William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs; he followed a relatively similar path to the NHL, spending time in Europe and then with their American Hockey League affiliate.
His first two years with the Leafs saw more production than Pastrnak’s first two with the Boston Bruins. Contract year; Nylander has 61 points, David Pastrnak has 70. Who costs you more?
Again, not the Boston Bruins’ player! Nylander costs $300,000 a year more and the Toronto Maple Leafs lost almost a half-season from him in a contract stand-off that no doubt also impacted his form the rest of the year.
Point is; the Boston Bruins have an absolute bargain contract locked in for four more years and David Pastrnak, for all his struggles in the Stanley Cup Final isn’t someone that you should even consider putting on the trading block.
Raw emotion, though, is what makes sports what it is and the advent of Twitter and social media in general makes it very easy to voice a view that might previously have only been shared among your circle of friends. I think this is one of those classic ‘over-reaction’ takes on a situation.
Especially as it now emerges that David Pastrnak re-injured his surgically repaired thumb in the Boston Bruins’ series with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played two rounds with an injured thumb; it’s no wonder that he bobbled a few pucks and showed a little less willingness to shoot the puck!
He still netted 9 goals and grabbed 10 assists this post-season; it’s not like he wasn’t trying. Unfortunately, I think he is among the players that it’s easy to scapegoat.
Whatever they do though, the Boston Bruins should not be foolish enough to trade a player that is a proven 80 point a year contributor, on an especially team-friendly contract when compared to others around the league.
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Do not, whatever you do, trade David Pastrnak and throw away that cap stability!