After the Boston Bruins finished the 2025-26 season without naming a captain, fans began pressuring the team to name one for the upcoming season. After a video leaked of both David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy wearing the "A" on their jerseys for media day, fans couldn't believe it would be another year without a captain. However, Don Sweeney addressed it in his season-opening press conference.
Don Sweeney: Bruins will name a captain this season before the season opener. pic.twitter.com/ZsVVrCXVyO
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 16, 2026
Fans will eagerly await the captaincy decision, with McAvoy and Pastrnak as the front-runners. It would be shocking if the team chose anyone other than one of those two players, and many fans are leaning toward the Czech-born superstar. Is it a good idea to strap the "C" on Pastrnak? Here are some of the pros and cons.
Why it's a good idea for the Bruins to make David Pastrnak captain
Pastrnak is the Bruins' best player, one of the best players in the entire league, and the unquestioned on-ice leader of the organization. Fans can't see whether he is the vocal leader in the locker room before a big game, but if you want someone to lead by example, it is Pastrnak.
If he continues on this trajectory, Pastrnak will be near the top of many organizational records. He'll likely also find his name and number in the rafters alongside the franchise's greatest players once his career ends, and giving him the honor of captain for the rest of his tenure feels like the right thing to do.
Everything Pastrnak has been saying in the media since Brad Marchand left makes it seem like he's already taken on the team's leadership role, so why not make it official and give him the captaincy?
Why it's a bad idea for the Bruins to make David Pastrnak captain
The cynical fan in me is a bit worried about what the captaincy will do to Pastrnak. He already shoulders a heavy offensive load, which will ease as more talent comes into the lineup. Still, he will undoubtedly be relied on to lead the team in points again this season and potentially lead it by a lot.
Plenty of superstars in the league already do this successfully, but it helps that someone else can take on the burden. Instead of giving Pastrnak all the captain responsibilities, the Bruins could give the letter to McAvoy and let the Czech keep doing what he has been doing.
It wouldn't be unprecedented; you have to look at the only right-winger ranked above Pastrnak to see a situation where steady defenseman Victor Hedman is the captain. Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov is left alone as the team's leading scorer. That setup doesn't appear to have any issues in Tampa Bay.
Leaving the captaincy off of Pastrnak would also protect him a bit, since he doesn't always drag his team into the fight physically. Captains in Bruins history have a certain toughness, and the first time he doesn't drop the gloves or get into the physical part of the game would be open season for the Felgers and Mazzs of the world to question his worth as a leader. You also wouldn't want him to change his game to prove himself if that noise starts.
Most fans are on board with Pastrnak, but a segment of the fanbase may have issues with it, given his playstyle.
The Verdict
If the Bruins tasked me to name a captain tomorrow, I'd be choosing Pastrnak. He has done nothing but commit to this organization, quickly become one of the greatest offensive players in the franchise's long history, and will retire as one of the best Bruins of all time. It's no disrespect to McAvoy, but Pastrnak deserves the "C".
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