BHN Puck Links: Big Week For Boston Bruins’ Pastrnak

It’s been quite an enjoyable ride over the last year for Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak, who was voted the Czech Republic’s Athlete of The Year 2020, marking the first time a Czech hockey player has garnered that honor since Jaromir Jagr nearly 20 years ago.

And we have an other #icehockey player who became Athlete of the Year in his country, this time David Pastrnak, player of @narodnitym and the @NHLBruins, in the Czech Republic🇨🇿 Congrats @pastrnak96👑! https://t.co/QBSfsanB92

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 23, 2020

The 23-year-old right winger is in Boston currently rehabbing from hip surgery and making preparations for the 2021 NHL season, and is coming off a season where he led the league in goals and continued to carve out his role as NHL superstar. He also donated the brand-new 2021 Honda CRV Hybrid he won as the MVP of the 2020 NHL All-Star game to a frontline nurse on the COVID-19 unit at Tufts Medical Center, Kaitlin Hagstrom, so Pastrnak deserves to take a bow for a number of different reasons as the 2020 year is finally, mercifully coming to an end. Good job, Pasta.

Pasta serving up some holiday joy. 🎁 @pastrnak96 has donated the 2021 Honda CRV Hybrid he won for being named MVP of the 2020 NHL All-Star Game to @TuftsMedicalCtr nurse Kaitlin Hagstrom, who has been caring for patients on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/yoFFOqAvjl

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 23, 2020

So good work going out on a high note this year, Pasta, and let’s hope it’s a much better 2021 for everybody in Boston, and all over the world. Now on to the puck links:

*The Pittsburgh Penguins are going to add some muscle to their roster by giving tough guy Jordan Nolan a chance to win a spot in training camp. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*It looks like the Boston Bruins are going to start the season in Philadelphia against the Flyers, according to a report from my partner-in-crime Jimmy Murphy. (Boston Hockey Now)

*Let’s take a look at the top-10 prospects from the World Junior tournament, even if the Boston Bruins don’t have any players on the list with Johnny Beecher on the sidelines after his positive COVID-19 test. (Bleacher Report)

*The NHL is going to be aggressive in attempting to add new revenue streams for this season, including the advertising on player helmets that we’re already seeing with teams like the New Jersey Devils. (Sportsnet)

*Speaking of NHL initiatives, thank goodness they have tweaked the offside role so that players don’t have to physically touch the blue line with their skate. This will save a lot of needless coach’s challenges next season.

UPDATE TO @NHL RULE 83.1 (OFF-SIDE): Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player’s skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line in order to be on-side.

Updated language: https://t.co/gp5npRIw9k pic.twitter.com/pT6YmA6qP5

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 22, 2020

*The newfangled East Division is going to be very bad news for the Buffalo Sabres, according to FOH (Friend of Haggs) Mike Harrington. (Buffalo News)

*For something completely different: Wow, this Scooby Doo Christmas house in Connecticut sounds awesome. Very festive. Zoinks! (Hartford Courant)