Boston Bruins: How much is David Pastrnak eventually going to cost?
By Filip Canda
The Boston Bruins have returned from the break with impressive back-to-back victories. Most players have shown improvement; David Pastrnak didn’t really need to!
The Boston Bruins are no doubt enjoyed having the leader in the Maurice Richard Trophy race this year. Who would have thought it? Who would have foreseen it when the Bruins selected David Pastrnak as the 25th overall player in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft?
There is a strong field of competition for the Boston Bruins’ All-Star Game MVP.
Alex Ovechkin (who has now claimed the lead), Auston Matthews, or Jack Eichel, that’s just looking at the ones close to him; there’s still a chance of an outsider joining the hunt too. That’s both incredibly stiff competition but also great company for the 23-year-old Czech winger to hold.
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David Pastrnak led the NHL with 38 goals after he tied his career-high from the previous campaign with a tally on Saturday in Minnesota; unfortunately Ovechkin had other ideas regarding the lead!
Let’s also not overlook the fact that Boston Bruins’ General Manager Don Sweeney signed David Pastrnak to a six-year contract worth $6.67 million per season until July 2023.
Perhaps Sweeney didn’t pick the decline that David Backes would experience and also overpaid on Matt Beleskey. However, such a sum paid to David Pastrnak is a bargain, no doubt about it. All three of the rivals in the Rocket Richard race mentioned are either attacking or surpassing the $10 million mark.
In other words, what Sweeney has spent elsewhere, he has saved on Pastrnak’s contract. As of now, Pastrnak should be paid at least $3-4 million more than his current salary is. Nevertheless, that’s not going to change for the upcoming three seasons.
"“The Bruins were smart, they got ahead of it, and David Pastrnak has repaid them. The question will be when that contract does end at the end of the 2022-23 season, you might have to pay him a little more,” said NHL Expert E.J. Hradek for the NHL Network."
What is the limit for David Pastrnak?
Jack Edwards, the Bruins’ NESN commentator, wondered what Alex Ovechkin has got to do to reach Wayne Gretzky as the all-time best NHL scorer. He would have to score 33 goals per campaign until he is 40.
What if Pastrnak scored 33 goals per season on average until he is 40? He would reach at least 700 NHL goals. He is set to celebrate his 24th birthday in May, with David Pastrnak sitting on 170 career goals presently.
Can Pastrnak maintain his elevated production to pot 50-goal campaigns regularly or stay on at least 35-goal seasons? That’s the difference between being labelled a great and the best of all-time.
Next. Is Tyler Toffoli still a major trade target for the Bruins?. dark
Realistically, David Pastrnak is well on course to end up a Boston Bruins great and perhaps even a league great; all-time best, that seems a little more far-fetched!