| David Pastrňák | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Pastrňák with theBoston Bruins in September 2019 | |||
| Born | (1996-05-25)25 May 1996 (age 29) Havířov, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team | Boston Bruins | ||
| National team |  Czech Republic | ||
| NHL draft | 25th overall,2014 Boston Bruins | ||
| Playing career | 2014–present | ||
David Pastrňák (Czech pronunciation:[ˈdavɪtˈpastr̩ɲaːk]; born 25 May 1996) is a Czech professionalice hockeyright winger andalternate captain for theBoston Bruins of theNational Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed"Pasta", Pastrňák was selected by the Bruins in the first round, 25th overall, of the2014 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year. Internationally, Pastrňák has played for theCzech Republic national team at both the junior and senior level, including at fourWorld Championships.
David Pastrňák was born on 25 May 1996 inHavířov, Czech Republic, to father Milan Pastrňák and mother Marcela Ziembova.[1] He first became interested in hockey through his father, who was a professional player and later a coach.[2] He began skating when he was three years old.[3] Milan left the family and moved toKarviná when Pastrňák was three years old, and after that Pastrňák spent weekends with his father. For most of his childhood, he lived with his mother and older brother in a two-bedroom apartment.[4][5]
When he was 13 years old, Pastrňák got an agent and his hockey equipment was paid for; this reduced the financial stress on his family.[6][2] At age 15, Pastrňák moved to the nearby town ofTřinec, where he lived alone in a hotel room. This was considered a test to ensure that Pastrňák could move to Sweden the next year.[4][2] During the 2011–12 season, Pastrňák led the Czech under-18 league in goals (41)[7] andpoints (68).[8] For the 2012–13 season, Pastrňák moved to Sweden to play for the junior squad ofSödertälje SK. While in Södertälje, Pastrňák learned to speak English and Swedish,[1] and started to watch NHL games for the first time.[4][9] In May 2013, just before Pastrňák's 17th birthday, Milan died after a years-long battle withskin cancer.[10][1] Grieving his father's death, Pastrňák intensified his training.[1][11]
For the 2013–14 season, Pastrňák was promoted toSödertälje SK's senior team inAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-highest professional league. He led his team in points, scoring 8 goals and 16 assists in 36 games, though he missed part of the season due to aconcussion.[1]
After being drafted by theBoston Bruins with the 25th pick overall in the2014 NHL entry draft, Pastrňák signed a three-year, entry-level contract on 15 July 2014.[12] Pastrňák attended the Bruins' training camp for the2014–15 season before being assigned to theProvidence Bruins, the team'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, on 7 October 2014. He made his NHL debut with the Bruins on 24 November, logging 7:53 of ice time in a 3–2 overtime loss to thePittsburgh Penguins. He scored the first two goals of his NHL career againstRay Emery on 10 January 2015, as the initial pair of goals resulting in a 3–1 Bruins' road win over thePhiladelphia Flyers.[13] On 29 March, Pastrňák became the youngest Bruins' player in history to score an overtime, game-winning goal in regular season play in Boston's 2–1 road win over theCarolina Hurricanes.[14] At the end of the season, he was one of just two players selected in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft to play in more than 40 NHL games during the 2014–15 season, and along with fellow Bruins' rookieRyan Spooner, led the team in offense during the last 20 games of the season.[15]
During a Bruins' regular season home game in the2015–16 season, against the Penguins on 24 February 2016, Pastrňák became the youngest Bruins' player ever to score apenalty shot goal, which he scored only four minutes into the game, as the first goal en route to a 5–1 Bruins' defeat of the Penguins.[16] His popularity in Boston has led to Bruins' fans giving him the nickname "Pasta".
On 28 October 2016, Pastrňák was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head ofNew York Rangers defencemanDan Girardi.[17] The2016–17 season proved to be a breakout year for Pastrňák, who recorded 34 goals and 36 assists for 70 points in 75 contests to lead the Bruins in scoring while playing on the first line withBrad Marchand andPatrice Bergeron, which became known as the "Perfection Line" by media outlets.[18] Additionally, Pastrňák scored two goals and four points for the team during the2017 playoffs where the Bruins would lose to theOttawa Senators in six games.
Entering the 2017 off-season, Pastrňák was arestricted free agent. On 14 September 2017, the Bruins re-signed Pastrňák to a six-year, $40 million contract extension worth $6.7 million annually.[19][20] Towards the end of the2017–18 season, on 13 March 2018, Pastrňák scored his first NHLhat-trick during a come-from-behind 6–4 Bruins' road win over theCarolina Hurricanes.[21] On 14 April, Pastrňák recorded another hat-trick along with three assists in a 7–3 home win over theToronto Maple Leafs in game 2 of the Bruins' first-round series during the2018 playoffs.[22] He also became the youngest player in NHL history to score six points in a single playoff game beatingWayne Gretzky's record.[23] The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs in seven games but lost to the top seededTampa Bay Lightning in five games in the second round.
During the2018–19 season, Pastrňák played in his firstNHL Winter Classic against theChicago Blackhawks, scoring a goal to help the team win 4–2. On 2 January, it was announced Pastrňák would appear in his firstNational Hockey League All-Star Game.[24] On 16 January 2019, in a game against thePhiladelphia Flyers, Pastrňák became the all-time leader for most goals in Boston Bruins history before the age of 23 passingBarry Pederson.[25] Pastrňák won the2019NHL All-Star Skills Competition Accuracy Shooting hitting five targets in 11.309 seconds.[26] On 31 January, in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Pastrňák scored two goals including his 30th of the season becoming the first player in Bruins history to record three 30+ goal seasons before the age of 23 passing the two ofBobby Orr,Cam Neely andBarry Pederson.[27] However, after recording 66 points so far that season, Pastrňák injured a tendon in his left thumb, and was listed to be out for two weeks.[28] By March 19, Pastrňák's left thumb tendon had healed enough for his return to play, and by his fifth game back from being sidelined, on March 27 he scored his third career hat-trick, his latest coming against the New York Rangers with two assists in setting a career-high five-point night; on the way to a 6–3 Bruins home ice victory.[29] In the2019 playoffs, Pastrnak and the Bruins would eventually go on to the Stanley Cup Finals in which the Bruins lost in seven games to theSt. Louis Blues, one win short from winning the Stanley Cup.[30]
On 14 October 2019, Pastrňák scored all four Bruins goals in a victory over theAnaheim Ducks, making him the 25th player in Bruins history to score four goals in one game.[31][32] In the2019–20 NHL season (which ended three weeks earlier than planned due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Pastrňák finished with 48 goals tied withWashington Capitals forward and captainAlexander Ovechkin for most goals in the NHL making him the first Bruins player to win theMaurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy since it was created in1999.[33]
During the pandemic shortened2020–21 season, Pastrňák scored 20 goals to give him a career regular-season total of exactly 200 by the second to last game of the season on 8 May 2021 against the New York Rangers. In the first game in the second round of the2021 playoffs, he scored a hat trick against theNew York Islanders to help give the Bruins a 1–0 series lead on 29 May.[34] Pastrňák and the Bruins would ultimately be defeated in six games by the Islanders.
In the midst of an historic2022–23 season, Pastrňák signed a $90 million, eight-year contract extension with the team on 2 March 2023.[35] He finished the season with a career-best 61 goals, 52 assists and 113 points in all 82 games, second in the league in the former (only behindEdmonton Oilers forward and captainConnor McDavid's 64 goals and tied for third in the latter (only behind Connor McDavid's 153 and Tampa Bay Lightning forwardNikita Kucherov's 113, respectively. The Bruins won thePresidents' Trophy as the best team of the regular season, breaking the league record for both wins and standing points. Pastrňák was widely cited as the highlight player of the team, and was for the first time named a finalist for both theTed Lindsay Award, voted by theNational Hockey League Players' Association for the league's most outstanding player, and theHart Memorial Trophy, voted by theProfessional Hockey Writers' Association for the league's most valuable player.[36][37]
Pastrňák looked to continue his offensive production from the previous year in the2023–24 season, and he did just that. In the Bruins opening game against theChicago Blackhawks, Pastrňák scored two goals to lead the Bruins to a 3-1 victory. Pastrňák continued throughout the year with consistent offensive production, reaching multiple milestones in the process. On 20 January 2024, Pastrňák scored his 30th goal of the season against the rivalMontreal Canadiens, which was his seventh career 30-goal season, tying him withJohnny Bucyk for most in Bruins history.[38] On 4 April, Pastrňák scored the 60th game-winning goal of his career against theCarolina Hurricanes, tying him withRay Bourque for the fifth most in Bruins history. Pastrňák was also named to his second consecutiveAll-Star Game, where he was drafted byTeam McDavid. He would score two goals and an assist in the semifinal against Bruins teammateJeremy Swayman andTeam MacKinnon. Pastrňák was scoreless in the championship game, which saw Team McDavid win 5–0. Pastrňák finished the2023–24 season with 47 goals, 63 assists and 110 points in all 82 contests played. Pastrňák, like most star players, was expected to elevate his game come playoffs, but even with two goals and two assists throughout the first six games of the Bruins first-round matchup with theToronto Maple Leafs, many expected Pastrňák to contribute more. After a game 6 loss that saw the Leafs force a decisive game 7, Bruins head coachJim Montgomery called out Pastrňák, saying that he "needs to step up."[39] Pastrňák responded by scoring the series-winning goal in overtime in game 7, and advancing the Bruins to the second round of the2024 playoffs and a rematch with the Panthers, where they would lose in six games.
Pastrňák and the Bruins once again entered the season with high expectations in2024–25. Unfortunately, although Pastrňák would exceed these expectations, the Bruins did not. Pastrňák once broke the forty-goal, 100-point mark on an abysmal Bruins team. It was his third season in a row reaching the 100-point total, becoming the first Czech-born player to accomplish the feat.[40] He also became the third Bruins player to do so as well, joing team legendsBobby Orr andPhil Esposito.[41] It was also his fifth season scoring 40+ goals, tying him withRick Middleton for second-most in Bruins history. Pastrňák also recorded two hat-tricks during the season to add to his career total, which stood at 19 at season's end, the second most in Bruins history, and seven behind Esposito. After the deadline, with captainBrad Marchand was traded and defensemanCharlie McAvoy recovering from a long-term injury, Pastrňák became the only Bruins player on the ice to wear a letter on his sweater, wearing the alternate captain patch, and essentially serving as the "de facto" leader on the team.[42] The trade of Marchand also made Pastrňák the longest tenured Bruin, as well as the longest tenured Boston athlete, as he had been with the team since 2014. Arguably the most impressive feat of Pastrňák's season came late, with the Bruins all but surely out of the playoff picture, Pastrňák did not slack off or give up. In five games between 1 and 8 April 2025, Pastrňák either scored or assisted on 13 consecutive Bruins goals, the longest such streak in Bruins history, and tied for the third longest streak in league history. It was only the fifth time in NHL history that a player had a streak that long, and Pastrňák joined legends of the gameJaromír Jágr,Mario Lemieux, andWayne Gretzky as the only players to ever accomplish such a feat.[41] Pastrňák finished the season on a 10-game point streak, recording nine goals and 13 assists in that time. Pastrňák's high level of play on a lackluster Bruins team had many people believing that he should be given strong consideration for the Hart Memorial Trophy.[43][44] He ended the season with 43 goals and 63 assists for 106 points, leading the Bruins in all categories and tying him for third in the league for points, and an outright seventh in assists.
.jpg) Pastrňák with the2024 World Championship trophy | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sice hockey | ||
| Representing Czech Republic | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2024 Czech Republic | |
 | 2022 Finland | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
 | 2014 Finland | |
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament | ||
| 2013 Slovakia/Czech Republic | |
Pastrňák has represented the Czech Republic's national teams at every level and has led his team in scoring numerous times. He won bronze at the2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and in 2014 he won silver at the2014 World U18 Championships. In 2016, he joined theCzech Republic senior team for the first time at the2016 World Championship where the team finished fifth. He also represented the Czech Republic at the2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Following the Bruins' defeat by theTampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the 2018 playoffs, Pastrňák was invited to participate at the2018 World Championship.[45]
He played at the2024 World Championship with the Czech Republic and won a gold medal, scored the winning goal in the final and was also named player of the game.[46]
On 28 April 2025, after much speculation about his participation, it was announced Pastrňák would once again join the Czech Republic for the2025 World Championship. Although the Czech team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the playoff round, Pastrňák led the tournament in scoring with six goals and nine assists in eight games, being named the best forward at the tournament, as well as to the tournament all-star team.[47]
On 16 June 2025, it was announced that Pastrňák was one of the first six players named to represent the Czech Republic at the2026 Winter Olympics, marking the first time he will represent the team at the Olympic stage.[48]
Pastrňák and his girlfriend, Rebecca Rohlsson, had a son Viggo Rohl Pastrňák who was born on June 17, 2021 and died six days later.[49] In June 2023, Pastrňák and his girlfriend announced the birth of a daughter Freya Ivy Pastrňák born on June 8, 2023.[50]In August 2024 they were married in Croatia.[51]
Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2011–12 | HC AZ Havířov 2010 | CZE U16 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | HC AZ Havířov 2010 | CZE U18 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | HC AZ Havířov 2010 | CZE-2 U20 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | HC AZ Havířov 2010 | CZE-3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | HC Oceláři Třinec | CZE U18 | 31 | 33 | 14 | 47 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Södertälje SK | J18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Södertälje SK | J18 Allsv | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Södertälje SK | J20 | 36 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 67 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 2012–13 | Södertälje SK | Allsv | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Södertälje SK | J20 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Södertälje SK | Allsv | 36 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 25 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 46 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 51 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 75 | 34 | 36 | 70 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2017–18 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 35 | 45 | 80 | 37 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 8 | ||
| 2018–19 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 66 | 38 | 43 | 81 | 32 | 24 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 4 | ||
| 2019–20 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 48 | 47 | 95 | 40 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 20 | 28 | 48 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 8 | ||
| 2021–22 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 40 | 37 | 77 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 61 | 52 | 113 | 38 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 47 | 63 | 110 | 47 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 25 | ||
| 2024–25 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 82 | 43 | 63 | 106 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 756 | 391 | 442 | 833 | 342 | 90 | 39 | 48 | 87 | 55 | ||||
Bold indicates led tournament
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Czech Republic | U17 | 8th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 | Czech Republic | U18 | 7th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| 2013 | Czech Republic | IH18 |  | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2014 | Czech Republic | WJC | 6th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2014 | Czech Republic | U18 |  | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2015 | Czech Republic | WJC | 6th | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WJC | 5th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WC | 5th | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WCH | 6th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2018 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Czech Republic | WC | | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2024 | Czech Republic | WC |  | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2025 | Czech Republic | WC | 6th | 8 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 35 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 12 | ||||
| Senior totals | 43 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 16 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | ||
| Golden Hockey Stick | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 | [52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] |
| Sportsperson of the Year | 2020 | [60] |
| AHL | ||
| AHL Rookie of the Month (October) | 2015 | [61] |
| AHL All-Star Game | 2015 | [61] |
| NHL | ||
| NHL All-Star Game | 2019,2020,2023,2024 | [62][63] |
| NHL All-Star Skills Competition Accuracy Shooting Winner | 2019 | [64] |
| NHL All-Star Game MVP | 2020 | [65] |
| Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy | 2020 | |
| NHL First All-Star Team | 2020,2023 | |
| NHL Second All-Star Team | 2024,2025 | |
| International | ||
| World Junior Championship Top 3 Player on Team | 2015,2016 | |
| World Championship Top 3 Player on Team | 2018,2025 | |
| World ChampionshipBest Forward | 2025 | [47] |
| World Championship All-Star Team | 2025 | [47] |
| Boston Bruins | ||
| Seventh Player Award | 2015,2017 | [66][67] |
| Eddie Shore Award | 2017 | [68] |
| John P. Bucyk Award | 2017 | |
| Bruins Three Stars Awards | 2019,2020,2022,2023,2024,2025 | [69][70][71][72][73][74] |
| Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy | 2020,2022,2024,2025 | [70][71][73][74] |
| Named One of Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time | 2024 | [75] |
| Boston Bruins All-Centennial Team | 2024 | [76] |
Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, September 14, that the team has signed forward David Pastrnak to a six-year contract through the 2022-23 season worth an average annual value of $6.67 million.
David Pastrnak scored his first NHL hat trick, including the game-winning goal, and the Boston Bruins rallied from three goals down in the third period to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4 at PNC Arena on Tuesday
In his first four games back from a thumb injury, David Pastrnak showed a bit of rust...On Wednesday night against the New York Rangers, Pastrnak showed no such signs...Pastrnak's final stat line of three goals and two assists marked a regular season career-high for points.
Of the five other expansion teams in their division, the Blues are the only team still in existence that had not won a Cup. The only other team that did not was theOakland Seals.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Boston Bruins first round draft pick 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner 2020 With: Alexander Ovechkin | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Czech Athlete of the Year 2020 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
