NHL Insider: Pastrnak Contract Talks Have ‘Heated Up’

Are the Boston Bruins and Davis Pastrnak starting to make progress on a contract extension for the superstar winger?

In the latest episode of ‘Insider Trading’ on TSN, NHL insider Darren Dreger said that contract talks between the Boston Bruins and Pastrnak have ‘heated up’ since the start of training camp.

“Well look, I mean we’re talking about a superstar player in Pastrnak with the Boston Bruins and it’s a process,” Dreger replied when asked for an update on the Pastrnak extension talks. “We use that word a lot when we’re talking about extensions or negotiations period. Both sides are accessing the market right now. I can tell you that contract discussions have heated up since training camp has opened. Relatively quiet over the course of the summer. Not unusual. There were some preliminary discussions at the draft. Pastrnak understands and is clearly hopeful that something will get done sooner than later, but the Bruins continue to do their due diligence.”

This report comes just four days after Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that David Pastrnak had informed Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney that he was willing to negotiate during the season, and that so far, no hard deadline on a resolution had been set by either Pastrnak or the team.

“One of the things I’ve heard about Pastrnak, is that he’s not afraid to continue discussions into the season. I don’t believe there’s a hard deadline here,” Friedman told co-host Jeff Marek on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “I think Pastrnak, from everything I’ve seen of this guy, and heard and read about this guy, he has a real healthy balance about his life and competitive nature and where he is. I don’t think he’s the kind of guy who’s going to be bothered by it too much. So, I’ve heard he won’t be afraid of letting the conversations go into the season.”

That went in line with what Don Sweeney told the media on Sept. 21:

“I don’t think there’s a concern,” Don Sweeney told reporters on Sept. 21. “David would be the only one to ideally speak to that. Perfect world, as we’ve referenced, (we) try and be aggressive to have him sign long-term as a lifelong Bruin. It’s always been our goal. I think David shed a little light in terms of where he was at personally. And we respected that.  I’ve had conversations, I’m going to continue to have conversations and I’d ideally like to get it done at the earliest point possible. And hopefully, he feels the exact same way, and his camp. So that’s what our goal is. Outside of that, I’m not going to comment on anything else, other than that’s ultimately what we’d like to do.”

Pastrnak – who is entering the final season of a six-year, $40 million contract that carried a $6.6M AAV – is already on record as saying his preference is to sign a long-term extension with the Boston Bruins and not test the unrestricted free agent market next July.

“Yeah of course,” Pastrnak replied on Sept. 16 when asked if he was opportunistic that he and the Boston Bruins can reach an agreement on a new contract past 2022-23. “This city is where I got the chance to become the player I am. …become the human being I am, and the Boston organization is an unbelievable part of that. So, I came here as a kid and now I’m a man. So I’m extremely happy and a lot of great memories and I don’t know how many times I said I love it here and it’s an honor to wear this jersey.”