Don Sweeney Is Expecting David Pastrnak to be more of a leader this year

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Hunter Bowman
July 13, 2023 (10:03 PM)

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The Boston Bruins are gearing up for a leadership transition, and general manager Don Sweeney is placing his trust in superstar winger David Pastrnak to step up to the plate.

Following their Game 7 defeat to the Florida Panthers, Sweeney has been vocal about the need for the team's second tier of leaders to ascend to the top tier, alongside the likes of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand.

Reflecting on the Bruins' past experiences, Sweeney draws parallels to the 2010-2011 season when a new wave of leaders emerged, led by Bergeron, after a devastating loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

He hopes that the current core of leaders, consisting of Linus Ullmark, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, and Pastrnak, can rally and use the disappointment of their recent playoff exit as fuel for growth.

"The core guys here have taken it to heart that our regular season was historic, but our playoff performance was a failure,"

Sweeney emphasized.

"We need to learn, grow, and evolve. The next core of leaders, as we like to call them, must take this disappointment and turn it into motivation. That's the reality, and they are eagerly embracing the challenge."

In Sweeney's eyes, Pastrnak is poised to lead the charge. Despite facing criticism even after an impressive 61-goal season, which included 113 points, Pastrnak couldn't escape scrutiny as the Bruins squandered a 3-1 series lead against the Panthers.

His performance in the series, including five goals, one of which came in Game 7, while nursing a shoulder injury, failed to silence his detractors. Such scrutiny is inevitable when you're not only the highest-paid player on your team but also the sixth-highest in the entire NHL with an $11.5 million salary cap hit.

"Doubts surround David, but his actions speak volumes," Sweeney affirmed regarding his highest-paid player. "David has always had Boston close to his heart, and he wanted to be a part of this transitional phase, which is likely to span the next eight years of his career. He has embraced leadership and expressed a desire to learn from others. This is a clear indication that he, alongside the likes of Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, Hampus Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, and our goaltenders, represents the next core of leaders for the Boston Bruins. We are thrilled about the future they bring."

With Pastrnak leading the way, the Boston Bruins are poised to navigate this critical leadership transition and forge a path towards success. The stage is set for the emerging stars to carve their own legacy in Bruins history, driven by the lessons learned from their recent playoff disappointment.