The Bruins were not going to let simple dollars and cents be the main impediment in contract talks with David Pastrnak.
Even though Pastrnak’s new annual cap hit of $11.25 million is likely steeper than Boston initially projected, letting their homegrown star sniper walk in free agency was not going to be an option.
“It was something that was certainly a priority for us,” Bruins president Cam Neely said. “Probably took a little longer than we hoped for, but we finally got across the finish line and we’re thrilled to have him for another eight years.”
With the ink finally dry, Pastrnak’s new contract will entrench him in Boston’s top-six unit for the next eight seasons. He’ll be 35 years old the next time he hits the open market.
Once signed to a below-market deal of $40 million spread across six years, Pastrnak’s new deal represents the sixth-largest contract inked in NHL history, including the heftiest handed out to a Bruins player.
For years, the Bruins benefitted from keeping their stars signed to digestible deals.
Before Charlie McAvoy’s $76 million contract was signed last year, the B’s kept this latest contention window open by having David Krejci’s six-year, $43.5 million deal ($7.25 million AAV) serve as the previous ceiling.
But gone are the days where Boston can keep their core talents in place at annual payouts of $7 million or less.
Pastrnak’s new cap hit might be almost double Brad Marchand’s $6.125 million allocation, but such is the price of doing busin
