BOSTON, MA– As training camp opens for all on Thursday there is still work to be done for management. David Pastrnak cannot go unsigned as losing him would be a huge hit to the Bruins roster come the start of the season.
Pastrnak is coming off a career season where he had 34 goals and 36 assists in 75 games and was a massive impact on the Bruins and their semi-success last year. With Claude Julien gone and Bruce Cassidy in as the full-time head coach and not just the interim, it is time Bruins management opens the check book and gives Pasternak that 8 years 8-million-dollar contract he wants.
Rumor has it the Bruins are offering a contract in the 7 million range but that is not enough for Pastrnak and I don’t blame him a bit. The Bruins for some reason have their mind set that they don’t want to be paying Pastrnak David Krejci like money. Currently, Krejci is the highest paid player on the Bruins roster making 7.25 million a year.
In comparison, last season Krejci had 23 goals and 31 assists in 82 games. It was a solid season for him. Do I think his contract is worth too much? Yes, I think he is slightly over paid. I absolutely love having him in-between Frank Vatrano and David Backes but not for that price. I just find Krejci to be slightly inconsistent some weeks he looks great and worth every penny well others, not so much.
If the Bruins don’t want to pay Pastrnak “Krejci like money” that they will suffer in the long run as that Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line is one of the best in the league. They should be doing whatever it takes to make a deal come Thursday.
Brad Marchand even admitted he wanted Pastrnak back as he told the Boston Herald before Monday Charity Golf Tournament that “Pasta’s a great player, he will be for a long time and a big part of this team, obviously we want to see him around, we don’t want to see this hang over his head and over the team’s head, and we’d just love to see him back.”
It is rumored that the Bruins and Pastrnak are meeting about contracts today and tomorrow. But if he doesn’t sign with the Bruins he will have plenty of other offers as multiple teams in the KHL have offered him contracts.
Like it or not David Pastrnak is now a proven veteran and should be paid as such. Yes, you might get a little tension at first from veteran players like Bergeron, Marchand, and Krejci who would all be making less than him, but that tension will not last. There is one goal on this team and that is to win and with the signing of David Pastrnak long-term that will increase the Bruins chances of winning tenfold.
The Bruins will be opening their main roster training camp with or without Pastrnak on Thursday.
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