With time winding down till the Boston Bruins open the 2023-24 season, their roster is taking form after present process many adjustments over the summer time. As a part of waiting for the approaching NHL season, we’ll take a look at the Bruins’ roster and see what we will anticipate from them through the upcoming marketing campaign.
At this time, we take a look at David Pastrnak, who will probably be seeking to comply with up on an explosive efficiency final season. He joined the legendary Corridor of Famer Phil Esposito as the one two Bruins gamers to attain 60-plus targets in a season. Whereas the achievement is uncommon, Esposito hit the mark 4 instances throughout his illustrious profession. The lingering query getting into the upcoming season is whether or not Pastrnak can attain the mark for a second consecutive season.
Pastrnak’s Path to Stardom
A brief look again at Pastrnak’s profession exhibits that he was destined to grow to be a star participant for the Bruins franchise. Drafted by the membership twenty fifth general on the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Pastrnak didn’t take lengthy to make his NHL debut. “Once you get a man like that at 25, a man pretty much as good as he’s, it’s luck,” Bruins’ former director of novice scouting, Keith Gretzky, mentioned (from ‘Drafting David Pastrnak: How Bruins received a franchise-defining participant at No. 25,’ The Athletic, Jan 29, 2021). He made his debut as an 18-year-old through the 2014-15 season and confirmed glimpses of his ability and scoring prowess which have now made him a fan favourite.
Associated: Boston Bruins’ 2023-24 Participant Projections: Pavel Zacha
Pastrnak has steadily improved 12 months after 12 months, culminating with final season, the place he completed with 61 targets and 52 assists for 113 factors. Within the 2019-20 season, he was on tempo to hit the 50-goal mark for the primary time in his profession earlier than the season was abruptly ended because of the pandemic. He completed the season with 48 targets, tied with Alexander Ovechkin for the league lead and was named the co-winner of the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.
His large performances on the ice additionally coincide along with his huge persona off the ice. Pastrnak has grow to be a fan favourite in Boston and throughout the NHL, as he has grow to be one of many sport’s greatest stars. From his flashy puckhandling on the ice to his hanging sense of favor off, his star energy was on show on the 2023 NHL All-Star festivities when he pulled off the Glad Gilmore act on the expertise competitors.
Pastrnak Makes His Linemates Higher
As with many superstars the NHL has seen, Pastrnak has the distinctive capability to enhance his linemates. Even earlier than the creation of the Perfection Line, Pastrnak first had nice chemistry with former Bruins’ prospect Ryan Spooner. The success that adopted when becoming a member of Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand speaks for itself, because the trio grew to become probably the greatest strains in all of hockey.
Final season, Pastrnak performed nearly all of the marketing campaign alongside fellow countrymates David Krejci and Pavel Zacha. Krejci confirmed little rust after stepping away from the NHL for a complete season and completed with 16 targets and 40 assists for 56 factors in 70 video games. Zacha additionally responded positively to enjoying on Pastrnak’s line by placing collectively the most effective season of his profession.
Associated: Boston Bruins’ Participant Projections: Kevin Shattenkirk
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In a while within the marketing campaign, after the arrival of Tyler Bertuzzi and Krejci lacking some sport motion whereas coping with accidents, Pastrnak discovered instantaneous chemistry with Bertuzzi as properly. Even throughout Krejci’s hiatus and enjoying on a line with Erik Haula and Taylor Corridor, Pastrnak helped type a harmful second line for the Bruins. His uncanny capability to make different gamers higher is simple, and it doesn’t matter who he performs with. Whereas it stays to be seen who will probably be on his line this season, one factor for certain is that he’ll proceed to seek out the again of the web.
Pastrnak’s Projection for the 2023-24 Season
Pastrnak set the bar excessive for himself final season, and will probably be tough for him to high the 113 factors he put up. Nevertheless, reaching 100 factors continues to be doable within the upcoming season. The larger query is that if he can rating 60 targets once more, and for me, there is no such thing as a motive he can’t hit the mark for the second consecutive season.
ESPN’s projections have Pastrnak scoring 56 targets and 49 assists for 105 factors, that are fairly life like numbers for the Bruins star. His profession capturing proportion sits at 14.2 p.c. Nevertheless, he has completed with capturing percentages increased than that in three of the previous 5 seasons, together with a career-high 17.2 p.c within the 2019-20 season. Combining his precision with the sheer quantity of pictures he fires on aim, hitting the 60-goal mark once more is certain to occur. My prediction for Pastrnak is 62 targets and 46 assists for 108 factors this season.
