It doesn't matter who you are: 76 goals in one season is remarkable, to say the least. And Phil Esposito drove that point home in 1970-71 when he hit that milestone. He also had legendary campaigns where he put up 68 goals (1973-74), 66 goals (1971-72), and 61 goals (1974-75).
That 61 mark went untouched in the years since until David Pastrnak tied it in 2022-23. And just how good is Pastrnak? Even when the Bruins looked hopeless in 2024-25, he still ended the campaign with 43 goals and 106 points.
Even if the Bruins are a bad team for the next few seasons, I'm convinced Pastrnak will be every bit as productive and a player to key on. And opponents can key on him all they want, and it ain't gonna matter; Pastrnak's still finding the net at least 40 times.
But if the Bruins prove that 2024-25 was a fluke, or if they're back to where they were while Pastrnak's still in his prime, I'm not putting it past him. Long shot? Absolutely. But Pastrnak's already shown us he can hit the five-dozen mark, so is there ever a way he can notch another 16-plus and have the record to himself?
David Pastrnak's got the right playing style to surpass 76 goals
One key to Pastrnak's success as a goal-scorer is that his game's relatively simple: He takes a lot of shots on goal. That's all it is: Get the puck to the net, give yourself a chance to score, and if it isn't there, maybe someone nearby will score off a rebound.
It's why I said earlier that Pastrnak's got me convinced he can still be a productive player even with a bad team around him. His playing style makes the rest of the Bruins a better hockey team, even on their worst days, and if he's got to put the team on his shoulders, then guess what?
That said, there's a perfect storm in Boston just waiting to be unleashed, and it could, in the strangest way, help Pastrnak pass Esposito's scoring mark. Still, it'd be an easier job if the Bruins picked up where they left off in 2023-24, put 2024-25 behind them, and developed a high-octane game.
It shouldn't surprise anyone if David Pastrnak at least enjoyed another 60-plus goal season
Whether the Bruins are a good team again in the near future or not, it shouldn't matter. Pastrnak's got the playing style and skill-set to hit the 60-goal mark again at the absolute least. As for Goal No. 77 in any given season? There's nothing easy about scoring 77 goals, but if he keeps getting better, and he can, then I'm not counting Pastrnak out.
Sure, Esposito is a tough act to follow, especially since it seemed like opposing netminders never had an answer for him. While that's not always the case with Pastrnak, the fact he's averaged over four shots on goal per game in the past shows he could absolutely challenge this record.
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