Why signing Pastrnak long term should be a no-brainer for Bruins
Remember what you were doing at 20 years old? Well, for most of us, it was spent working part-time jobs, partying late with friends, and figuring out when we could borrow the car from Dad next.
However, for Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, it was spent wreaking havoc on opposing NHL defenseman. The now 21-year-old winger had a career year in 2016-17, finishing second on the Bruins in scoring while putting the league on notice that he was indeed for real.
Fast forward to today, and Pastrnak is still a restricted free agent. Unlike many of his young peers, such as Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Johansen, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, Pastrnak remains without a new contract for next season.
And, despite his All-Star-caliber campaign and seemingly limitless offensive potential, the young Czech and the Bruins seem no closer to agreeing on a deal than they did when the season ended in May.
But, why the hold up?
Here's a look into why inking Pastrnak long term should be a no-brainer for the Bruins:
He's worth the high price tag
In a short period of time, Pastrnak has proven that he can score with the best of them, and he's only just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.
Across 75 regular-season games last campaign, Pastrnak tallied 34 goals and 36 assists while playing on the Bruins' top line and No. 1 power-play unit.
The former first-round draft pick has also produced effectively when compared to others from his 2014 draft class.
Of the 24 players taken ahead of him at 25th overall, only one player has registered more points than Pastrnak's 123. Oh, and that guy (Draisaitl) just got paid $68 million across eight years.
Related: Oilers sign Draisaitl to 8-year, $68M extension
Obviously, paying a player with less than three full seasons in the NHL under his belt is a risk, but, considering Pastrnak's caliber and talent, it's one the Bruins should be more than willing to take.
His offense is irreplaceable
Pastrnak's value in Boston increases exponentially when he's compared to the rest of the Bruins' forward group. After Brad Marchand, the B's lack the elite scoring punch needed to take them over the top and back into Cup contention.
No disrespect to two quality NHLers in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, but, after Marchand and Pastrnak, the drop-off in offensive potency is steep.
During the 2016-17 campaign, Pastrnak and Marchand formed a formidable duo on the Bruins' top line, combining to score an impressive 73 goals - good enough for 31 percent of the Bruins' total goal output.
Boston finished last season with a respectable 232 goals scored, 13th most in the league. But, subtract Pastrnak's 34-goal total, and the Bruins' offensive output plummets to the bottom third of the NHL.
He can play both wings, log big minutes (averaging 17:59 last year), and produce in the clutch - his six game-winning goals tied him with Evgeni Malkin and Connor McDavid for sixth most in the league.
Pastrnak's versatility and importance to Boston's offense make him an indispensable part of the Bruins' future and the team needs to lock him down for years to come.
The Bruins can afford it
With nearly 33 percent of their payroll committed to Krejci, Bergeron, and Marchand, Boston already has a sizable chunk of change earmarked for its forward group.
However, according to Cap Friendly, the B's currently have just over $10.1 million in available cap space for next season. So, in short, they can afford to give Pastrnak the money he's looking for.
It's been rumored that the talented winger declined the Bruins' initial offer of six years at $6 million per season, but, after seeing what Draisaitl and Johansen were paid, it's understandable if Pastrnak feels that he's worth more than what Boston is currently willing to pay him.
General manager Don Sweeney would be wise to pay the man his money.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)