Bruins Sign Pastrnak To Eight-Year, $90 Million Extension

The Boston Bruins finally locked up their best player and signed David Pastrnak to an eight-year, $90 million contract that carries a $11.25 million salary cap hit.

Pastrnak, 26, is in the final season of a six-year, $40 million contract that carries a $6.6M AAV and was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Boston Bruins announced the new contract for Pastrnak shortly after they acquired winger Tyler Bertuzzi in exchange for the Bruins’ 2024 first round pick (top-10 protected) and a 2025 fourth round pick. The Detroit Red Wings retained 50 percent of Bertuzzi’s salary left this season.

Pastrnak, his agent J.P. Barry and Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney have been in constant communication and trying to find common ground since last summer. Last month at the NHL All-Star weekend, Pastrnak expressed optimism that they would find that common ground and hammer out a new contract.

“Obviously I feel fine,” David Pastrnak said a month ago. “There’s no rush. In the middle of the season, you’re focusing on the hockey and everything. You don’t really think about the contract situation. It’s in the hands with your agent, management and [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney]. I’m just thinking about hockey and playing, honestly, so that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing.

J.P. and ‘Donnie’ talk every day. I actually haven’t talked to JP for a while because of the tough schedule we had, but I’m going to give him a call. I think he’s here, so we’re going to meet up. We’ll see.”

Pastrnak is in the midst of another brilliant season. His team-leading 42 goals are second in league scoring to only Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid who has lit the lamp 52 times this season. Pastrnak also leads the team in assists with 38 and in points with 80 in 60 games this season.

The Czech winger, whom the Boston Bruins drafted 25th overall in the first round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, Pastrnak has turned into one of the NHL’s most lethal goal scorers. He has cracked the 30-goal plateau six times and the 40-goal mark three times, with his career-best coming in the 2019-20 season when he lit the lamp 48 times and shared the 2020 Rocket Richard Trophy with Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound winger has spent his first nine seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins. In 570 games with the Bruins, Pastrnak has 282 goals and 302 assists for 584 points.

Pastrnak ranks in the top 20 in Boston Bruins franchise history in goals (9th, 282), hat tricks (3rd, 13) assists (18th, 302) and points (14th, 584).