Bruins GM Don Sweeney Says No Update On Pastrnak Talks

Hockey Night in Canada remains hockey’s premier TV broadcast and with it, 32 Thoughts is the must-watch news segment. Saturday night, reporter Elliotte Friedman cautiously put forward good news for the Boston Bruins regarding high-scoring winger David Pastrnak.

Friedman said the word around the league is the two sides are making progress.

“I want to be careful with this one, but the word around the league is the Bruins and Pastrnak have been making some progress,” Friedman said. “Don’t get out of control with that, but it appears some progress is being made with that negotiation.”

However, following his team’s 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bruins GM Don Sweeney said there is “no update.”

Late Saturday night, an NHL source close to the situation echoed Sweeney’s take, telling Boston Hockey Now that ‘yeah, they’re talking and positive, but that’s nothing new really’

David Pastrnak added to his team lead in goals with his 33rd goal of the season in the win over the Maple Leafs this season. He now leads the team not only in goals, but also assists (26), and points with 59. The 26-year-old, 6-foot-1, 195-pound winger trails only Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid – who has 37 goals – for the NHL lead in goals. Pastrnak is also fifth in points with 59.

Sweeney was able to lock up potential UFA forward Pavel Zacha to a four-year contract extension ($4.75 AAV), on Saturday night, but in addition to Pastrnak, Sweeney still has six potential 2023 unrestricted free agents to deal with when this season concludes. Of course, the other key names set to become a UFA are Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron and alternate captain David Krejci, but Sweeney has more to sign or let go in fellow forwards Nick Foligno, Craig Smith, and Tomas Nosek, as well as defenseman Connor Clifton.

Sweeney was asked on Saturday night if there was any progress on talks with any of those potential UFA’s:

“I think, as I mentioned earlier, every situation is unique,” the Bruins GM replied. “Every player is unique. In the situation that ‘Pav’ [Zacha], was in, had an opportunity to take a one-year and turn it into four extra. Everybody else, we will continue to communicate with, and if the opportunity presents itself, and with the support of the organization, between Cam and Charlie and Mr. Jacobs, we’re very fortunate that when we’re in positions to execute, we try and do it right, and we will continue to try to do that moving forward.”