David Pastrnak Is Developing Into A Superstar
David Pastrnak scored two goals in the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime win over the Florida Panthers at TD Garden on Monday night, including this beauty of a game-winner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwkXyOFxVOM
This came just four days after Pastrnak, otherwise known as Pasta, delivered the knockout blow in the Bruins’ shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Boston with this filthy move:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbx_OawcmhM
Just 21 games into the season, the 20 year-old Pastrnak is third in the NHL with 15 goals. That matches his total from last year, and this time it took him 30 less games to reach it. 2016-17 has been the definition of a breakout year for this guy.
Pastrnak showed us last year that he’s capable of being a really good NHL player, but I don’t think anyone expected him to progress this quickly. That includes Bruins’ general manager Don Sweeney:
“Obviously if he continues to score at this clip, you’d have to say he’s ahead of [the expectations],” Sweeney said. “When you’re playing with better players, and now all of a sudden he’s creating anxiety in other teams’ defensemen that have to understand that they now have to watch out for him as opposed to just the other two guys on the line, well, then now you’ve got something.”
Now all Sweeney needs to do is not trade Pastrnak for a mediocre player and some prospects like they did with Tyler Seguin. In the meantime let’s just enjoy the greatness of that this kid is continuing to display.
Thanks in no small part to the play of Pasta, the B’s have now won three in a row. Their 15-10-1 record is good for third in the Atlantic division behind the 17-6-2 Montreal Canadiens and the 15-9-2 Ottawa Senators. Next, they’ll take on the Capitals in DC in Wednesday night.
Follow Jack Bardsley on Twitter @BostonsBigFour