Two years back, David Pastrnak had a standout season alongside his Boston Bruins teammates. In the 2022-23 season, the Black and Gold made history by setting the NHL record for the most wins and points in a regular season, with Pastrnak netting an impressive career-high of 61 goals. It was only a matter of time before this superstar right winger hit the 60-goal mark.
However, last season saw a decline in his scoring, as he managed 47 goals over 82 games. This dip came as he played without the legendary Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, the two top centers who had been pivotal during his tenure with the Bruins. With both players retiring last summer, Boston turned to Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha as their primary centres. While both are solid players, they lack the elite playmaking abilities that Bergeron and Krejci brought to the ice. This summer, on the opening day of free agency, GM Don Sweeney made a significant move by acquiring top centre Elias Lindholm, a player expected to boost Pastrnak’s scoring.