By: Ellie Man | Follow me on Twitter/X @ellieyym
David Pastrňák is widely regarded as one of the National Hockey League’s elite goal scorers, renowned for being an offensive threat out on the ice. But as of late, the Boston Bruins’ right winger has been making his mark as a playmaker, proving more impactful on the assist as opposed to finding the back of the net himself.
The 6’0”, 199-pound forward notched his third 100-point campaign in the 2024-25 season (43G, 63A), and Bruins fans were all eager to see what more the talented scorer would accomplish in the following year. Undoubtedly, supporters remain hopeful that Pastrňák will help to bring home the glory and lift the famed Stanley Cup.
Pastrňák has achieved 29 goals so far this season, with a dip in his goal-scoring production. In the midst of a busy schedule, he also took part in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, representing Team Czechia and recording five points (2G, 3A) before their journey was cut short in the quarterfinals by Team Canada.
However, the 29-year-old – and one of the Bruins’ three alternate captains – is coming in strong as a playmaker for the team. He has reached a career-high 67 assists, placing him fourth in the league, tied with Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki.
In the Bruins’ recent matchup against the Dallas Stars, the team secured an important 6-3 win. Pastrňák recorded three assists in the game as he was involved in the team’s first three goals. This included setting up Viktor Arvidsson’s first goal, which eventually led to a hat trick. This feat marked Pastrňák’s 106th multi-assist game, tied with David Krejci for the sixth-most in Bruins’ history.
Earlier this season, after a career-high six-assist game that saw the Bruins take home a dominant 10-2 victory against the New York Rangers, Pastrňák said to the media: “I like to make plays. Growing up, I was more of a playmaker, and then, you know, as seen in the NHL, it flipped a little bit. I like to score goals, don’t get me wrong. But most of the time, if I see somebody in a better position than me to score, then I always try to pass.”
Working as a key team player, Pastrňák has also been a mentor to the new faces on the Bruins’ roster. The Czech has embraced his leadership position and used his veteran experience to guide and support his teammates.
Fraser Minten, who shares the Bruins’ first line with Pastrňák and Marat Khusnutdinov, has spoken highly of his peer. Minten has highlighted the right winger as having “the ability to change a game at any time with his talent and his playmaking, his creativity,” alongside further praising Pastrňák for having “little details, little plays that he’s kinda coaching me [Minten] through, walking me through on the bench.”
Both Bruins’ fans and the team itself will be eager to see Pastrňák rack up more goals on his record, particularly as the Bruins keep battling hard for a spot in the playoffs. But so long as Pastrňák continues his selfless playmaking and keeps contributing to the team’s offensive growth, there is no shortage of confidence in his ability to lead the Bruins through the postseason and beyond.
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