The only reason the Boston Bruins didn't fall even farther down the standings and land a better pick in the draft lottery last season was because of the David Pastrnak-Morgan Geekie connection. The pairing gave Bruins fans new hope that Pastrnak wouldn't struggle too much now that he was playing on a team without one of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, or Brad Marchand for the first time.
The piece that kept that line intact last season was Elias Lindholm. Jim Montgomery and Joe Sacco kept Pastrnak and Lindholm apart for most of the season, but once Sacco united the three, mostly out of a lack of other offensive talent to put together, there was instant chemistry.
It left the Bruins entering the 2025-26 season with only one line set in stone. Marco Sturm had to let the trio try to replicate their success, and they weren't playing terribly before Lindholm's injury. They've actually been playing better since Marat Khusnutdinov went in the middle, but Sturm continues to experiment with moving Geekie down the lineup. Even though he has 10 goals in the first 16 games, Sturm hasn't seen the same spark as last season.
The advanced analytics would support that. According to Conor Ryan, Geekie and Pastrnak generated 4.19 goals per 60 together last season when they caught fire to end the year. It would've been tough to replicate that this season, and they haven't come close. The pair has 1.87 goals per 60 this season.
It doesn't mean that Pastrnak and Geekie shouldn't play together at five-on-five. They have still been a great duo, and they are two of the highest-scoring players in the league over the past calendar year. According to a new stat from Tyler Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Geekie and Pastrnak have 42 goals each since November 27, 2024, which trails only Leon Draisaitl.
One Bruins stat that gives hope the offense could get even better
If Geekie and Pastrnak start clicking the same as last season and even cut the difference in half of the goals per 60 from last season to this season, the team's offense will greatly improve. It's scary to think that Geekie has 10 goals already with this much of a drop in production, and how high his total could go this season if the pair figures it out.
While Khusnutdinov filled in admirably so far, Lindholm will be a big help once he returns. If all three can stay healthy and find that spark from last season, the sky is the limit for the team and Geekie and Pastrnak's point totals.