By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
In Marco Sturm’s first year as head coach of the Boston Bruins, the team finished with a record of 45-27-10. Despite the Bruins not having a captain, Boston played well enough to secure a 100-point season and the first wild-card slot in the crowded Eastern Conference. While the Buffalo Sabres knocked the Bruins out in the first round of The Stanley Cup Playoffs, David Pastrnak has made a compelling case to earn the “C” on his chest.
The program Behind the B captured a moment of a livid Pastrnak going on an expletive-filled rant after Boston’s disastrous first period in game four against Buffalo. In front of a revved-up TD Garden crowd, The Bruins put together one of their worst periods of the season. Boston allowed four goals and were outshot 19 to five during the opening 20 minutes.
Pastrnak was incensed and voiced his frustration. One of the main points he emphasized was that it was an afternoon matchup and that the team had to be prepared from the jump. His voice was practically straining with how upset he was.
It was a pretty jarring outburst from Pastrnak. That part of his personality is rarely shown in these behind-the-scenes clips. But this moment highlights the fire and passion that burns inside him. The next Bruins captain needs to display that type of determination.
People who follow the NHL, especially Bruins fans, understand what a special player Pastrnak is. This past season, the dynamic winger netted his fourth straight 100-point season. He became the third Bruin in history to accomplish this feat, joining Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito.
He racked up 71 assists this past season, which set a career high. And Pastrnak really helped drive Boston’s offense with different line combinations. Whether Pastrnak was skating with Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm or Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten, he was an explosive offensive talent.
But Pastrnak’s skillset has never been in question. His offensive repertoire is one of the most well-rounded in the league. But being the captain of an NHL team has never been just about putting up points and scoring goals.
Captains must represent the organization to the best of their ability on and off the ice. They must inspire the rest of the team to pull in the same direction to achieve a common goal. And a captain has to lead by example; this messaging will come across as weak if they are not willing to do the hard work themselves.
Pastrnak’s first two NHL captains were Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. You will be hard-pressed to find two better players who set the tone for an organization by leading the right way. Pastrnak saw firsthand what it means to be a captain of an Original Six franchise. And he is primed to take that next step in his career.
With over 833 regular season games and 933 points, Pastrnak has already carved out a very successful NHL career. But, as he mentioned to the media recently, he will soon turn 30 years old. He has already taken on a larger leadership role in the Bruins’ dressing room, as many pillars of the organization have left the team during his tenure.
His play is obviously spectacular, but Pastrnak is ready to take on this important responsibility. He should be named the 28th captain in Boston Bruins history.
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