Bid now to win this Boston Bruins Jersey autographed by #88 David Pastrnak!
When Pastrnak walked on stage at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia as the No. 25 player chosen in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins, he kissed his hand and pointed to the heavens. The tribute, personal and heartfelt, was for his father, an adviser, cheerleader, inspiration and hockey/life coach, who had died of cancer 13 months earlier. Milan Pastrnak had always dreamed of his son playing in the NHL, and now here was David slipping the famed Bruins jersey over his head.
Heading into the draft, NHL Central Scouting had ranked Pastrnak fifth among European skaters. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, it was felt that in time Pastrnak would fill out and his puck and passing skills would approach NHL levels. After signing an entry-level contract and attending the Bruins' 2014 training camp, the Czech Republic native was sent to Providence of the American Hockey League. But he didn't stay long. A run of 11 goals and 28 points in 25 games triggered a November call-up. On Jan. 10, 2015, at the Wells Fargo Center, the very arena where he was drafted and saluted his late father, Pastrnak scored his first two NHL goals in a 3-1 victory against of the Philadelphia Flyers. He finished the 2014-15 season with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 46 games. Expectations were high for the 19-year-old forward's first full NHL season. He finished with 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 51 games, having been allowed by the Bruins to play for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Pastrnak broke out in 2016-17, finishing second on the team with 70 points (34 goals, 36 assists). That earned him a six-year, $40 million contract from the Bruins, who were confident that his performance would continue to improve. They were right. At age 22, Pastrnak improved all of his offensive numbers, finishing with 80 points (35 goals, 45 assists) in 82 games. The line of Pastrnak, center Patrice Bergeron and left wing Brad Marchand has become one of the NHL's best two-way units, producing big offensive numbers and ranking among the League's elite in possession stats.