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Had it not been for a post blast in the second period of last night’s 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, we’d be talking about the first hat trick of 2014 first-round pick
David Pastrnak’s career. Still, a two-goal night -- the 18-year-old’s second in as many games no less -- has Boston buzzing.
In eight games with the Black and Gold, Pastrnak has scored four goals, added an assist, and has thrilled the TD Garden crowd with each shift that exposes more and more of the Czech winger’s creativity. He’s
eight games into his NHL career, though, meaning that the Bruins have one more ‘free’ game of Pastrnak at this level before they have to make a decision as to whether or not the explosive rookie is worth keeping around on their NHL roster, and thus burning Year One of his three-year entry-level contract.
As is the case with anything, there are risks to wiping the first year off the books. Especially given the way the Bruins’ cap situation is (read as: pretty terrible). But the rewards are there, too. For the first time this year, the Bruins are winning, and they’re beating good teams.
And the 25th overall pick is playing a part in it.
“I think he’s making a case for himself,” Boston coach
Claude Julien said of Pastrnak. “We see what he can do. I enjoy watching him play. I think he’s made unbelievable strides in a half year of being in Providence and coming up with us a little bit and going back. I think it was good for him to see certain things that he wanted to improve on, and he’s such a smart player, he knows; he figures those things out pretty quickly. I think he’s come back an even better player. His speed, his skill level, was never an issue.
“But he’s becoming more reliable in other areas as well and he’s not afraid to go in the corners. He doesn’t have to lay hits he just has to be smart enough to come up with the puck and not afraid to go to the front of the net. So, I’ve seen a real big improvement in his game. So, got to give credit to those guys in Providence that have been working with him and give him a lot of credit for adapting so quickly.”
Between Boston and Providence, Pastrnak has scored 14 goals and 32 points, along with 101 shots and a plus-19 rating, in 32 games as a first-year North American pro. And while he was great in the Bruins’ 3-1 win over Philadelphia this past Saturday, it was Tuesday’s showing against Tampa Bay that really showed the best of Pastrnak. He was on the ice for all four Boston goals. He led the team with seven shots on goal. Most noteworthy, though, he seemed to create something positive for the club every time he jumped over the boards.
He doesn’t have the size that the Bruins typically covet for that top-line right wing spot like a Horton or an Iginla (Pastrnak is just 5-foot-10 and barely 180 pounds), but it’s everything else that’s made him a seemingly natural fit with
Milan Lucic and
David Krejci on Boston’s first line.
“He’s a very offensive skilled player. You put him with the combination of playmaker and physical player for sure he will excel,” said Boston captain
Zdeno Chara of Pastrnak’s ability to contribute with Krejci (the playmaker) and Lucic (the physical player). “I think he’s showing that on that line, and he had a big night. But I think we all know that his game has to keep improving and keep getting better.”
The Bruins have experimented with different linemates for No. 88, but make no mistake about it, the Lucic-Krejci-Pastrnak trio has always been their goal. The organization realizes that Pastrnak will contribute the most on the Bruins’ top line, and that he presents a win-win to that line, not only for himself, but for Krejci (who’s been craving a capable right-handed shot on his right), and Lucic, a player that the Bruins have been dying to ‘get going’ in 2015. For Krejci, a right-handed shot not named Craig Cunningham or Seth Griffith -- two talented players, but not top-line material at this stage in their careers -- has been a revelation. And for Lucic, skating with two high-end skill players has allowed him to revert back to his 'old style' of play, which is heavy on skating and creating chances with his relentless forecheck and ability to win puck battles.
In barely five minutes together last night, the trio created
three goals for the B's. He's a fit. And he's also an easier option than anybody on the trade market.
If it seems like the Black and Gold have searched high and low, near and far, and to the outer realms of the galaxy to find a player available on the trade market, it’s because they have. They’ve reportedly squabbled with Buffalo about the asking price of
Chris Stewart (yes, the same Chris Stewart with five goals in 42 games this year). They’ve allegedly kicked the tires on the Blues’
T.J. Oshie. They’ve even been linked to old friends
Jaromir Jagr (2013) and
Michael Ryder (2008-2011).
None of these guys look like upgrades over the dazzling rookie. Not in the now, anyways.
“It’s always exciting to have one of those guys on your team that has that unbelievable speed and unbelievable hands. He’s a young player and certainly he can bring a lot to the table,” Julien, whose team now has points in eight straight contests (5-o-3), admitted after Tuesday’s win. “He’s come in here and been himself. He’s a nice person, it’s easy to respect him, it’s easy to like him. He’s always got a smile on his face. He loves the game. It’s pretty obvious and he comes to the rink every day happy to be doing what he’s doing.”
But the obvious question that can’t be answered in the now is in regards to whether or not the teenage sensation can keep this all up. He’s not going to score two goals per game (at least you wouldn’t think so), but the discussion in regards to his ability to ‘hang with’ seasoned pros for another 40 games and potentially two months is a real one. At 32 games between Boston and Providence, and five if you wanna count Pastrnak’s trip to the World Junior Championships with the Czech Republic, Pastrnak has already set a new career-high for games played in his career, besting his mark of 36 games played for Sodertalje a year ago.
At a certain point, Pastrnak could hit a wall. Mentally, physically, personally.
The Bruins dealt with that in 2008-09 with
Blake Wheeler, who made the jump from the NCAA to the NHL without a year or two in the minors, and saw the toll an 82-game grind took on his legs, rendering him rather ineffective by the second half and throughout the postseason. It’s not something that you can just muscle through. Just ask
Dougie Hamilton, a player that jumped from juniors to the pros on the fly.
“I think the hardest part is bringing it consistently when the schedule gets tougher and you start to get a little bit tired. I think the adrenaline runs out and that’s when it gets tough,” Hamilton said after Tuesday’s win. “So, I don’t really see that with him right now. Obviously I think he’s doing great and he’s confident, has fun in the room and everything and not really shy. So it’s fun for me to have him here.”
It takes a special talent to make this leap, though, and the Bruins think they have that in Pastrnak. Not often have you seen the Bruins hang onto to a teenager in the midst of being a serious contender. Hamilton was one, while
Patrice Bergeron in 2003-04 and
Tyler Seguin in 2010-11 are the only others throughout this era of Bruins hockey. He’s here because the Bruins believe he can contribute. And he is.
With Pastrnak on the ice, teams need to keep their heads on a swivel out there. He possesses more raw offensive talent than just about this entire roster, and his skill has added another dimension to Boston's offensive game. No longer does it seem that the Bruins have to score three to four net-front, 'garbage' goals. (Though Pastrnak is showing that he can do that, too.)
He’s a gamebreaker on a team that needs a gamebreaker.
“[Pastrnak], you know, he’s new to us and we don’t really know what he’s got in his bag, so his, especially the first goal, was pretty amazing,” Krejci said. “We can’t wait [to see] what he’s got to show us next time.”
He’s made an impact on his coach, teammates, and fans. It seems like the only people that Pastrnak needs to show more to in the last of his nine-game NHL trial is any member of the Bruins’ front office that’s not yet sold on the idea of No. 88 skating with the Bruins from now ‘til the Garden ice is scraped off for the summer.
His teammates, however, even ones that were in the same situation not long ago, have some advice for them.
“If he keeps playing like that, we don’t need to make any trades,” Hamilton quipped.
You won’t have to tell that to the Boston front office twice.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com
Boston Bruins Blogger •Bruins Feature Columnist • 
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