David Pastrnak arrived at Bruins camp with something he had missed for too long: a normal summer. No training schedule built around knee rehabilitation, no limits on running, and no need to work around the tendinitis that lingered through 2024-25 and delayed his start to camp a year ago.
For a player who has carried Boston’s attack through four consecutive 100-point seasons, the clean runway matters. Pastrnak called it his best offseason in two or three years, a stretch that allowed him to spend time with family and return to the full training routine he prefers.
That included plenty of running and tennis, which has become more than a casual pastime for the Bruins winger. He sees the court work as useful conditioning, with quick reactions, repeated bursts and sprints folded into the workout. After recent summers spent protecting the knee, simply being able to move freely was a welcome change.
The Bruins are coming off a 100-point campaign and a Stanley Cup Playoff berth that exceeded many preseason expectations. Pastrnak, who turned 30 on May 25, is not hiding what remains on his personal checklist. Boston has been back in the postseason, but the Cup pursuit has not ended with a championship.
He said he is eager for another chance after a lengthy wait, while also recognizing how little breathing room exists in the Atlantic Division. In Pastrnak’s view, the standard for reaching the playoffs has risen to the point where 100 points feels like the old 90-point benchmark. Every club in the division has added or improved, and with the regular season now two games longer, he expects Boston to be sharp from opening night onward.
Second year under Sturm brings fewer excuses
Boston will at least begin the season with familiarity behind the bench. Marco Sturm is entering his second year as coach, meaning the Bruins are no longer trying to absorb a new system while games count. Pastrnak said the opening month and a half last season involved a significant adjustment for the group, but that learning phase is over.
The next step, he said, is execution: cleaner details, quicker reads and a team prepared to play Sturm’s structure immediately. Pastrnak’s message was straightforward: Boston should be ready from the drop of the puck this time.
One unanswered question will be settled before the Bruins host the New York Rangers in their Sept. 29 opener. General manager Don Sweeney said Boston plans to name a captain before that game, with Pastrnak and defenseman Charlie McAvoy among the prominent possibilities.
Pastrnak did not campaign for the role. He said the decision belongs to the club, while his responsibility is to handle whatever job he is assigned.
That job still begins with generating offense. Pastrnak posted 100 points in 77 games last season, producing 29 goals and a career-best 71 assists. It was his fourth straight season at the century mark. His assist total surpassed the 63 he recorded in each of the previous two seasons, while his 29 goals were his lowest full-season output since he scored 20 in 48 games during the shortened 2020-21 campaign.
There is no indication he views the scoring dip as a reason to abandon his instincts. Pastrnak said he wants to score more, but remains committed to moving the puck when a teammate has the better look. He wants to be both a finisher and a creator, rather than forcing one identity at the expense of the other.
His linemates may shape the balance. Morgan Geekie is one possible fit after expanding his own goal production, and Pastrnak singled out Geekie’s shot and release as elite tools. Newcomer JJ Peterka could also see time alongside him, with other options sure to get looks as camp unfolds.
Sturm is not inclined to turn Pastrnak into a shoot-first player by decree. The coach acknowledged there are moments when he would like his star forward to put the puck on net more often, but those instances are offset by the plays Pastrnak creates for others. A pass that appears to be a missed shooting chance can quickly become a goal for a linemate.
For Boston, that is the calculation entering a season with bigger expectations. Pastrnak is healthy, the system is familiar and the division will not allow many off nights. The Bruins need their best player driving play in every form available—whether the finish comes off his stick or from the pass that puts someone else alone at the crease.
