Pastrnak Named Bruins Captain

Over the past few seasons, the Bruins have opted to operate without an official captain, though it was clear that the duo of Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy were at the forefront of the leadership group in Boston. While other players have helped in what was a collaborative effort to lead by example, these two have consistently been the team’s best players and learned from captains before them like Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Marchand. It always seemed like a two-horse race for the next captain, but McAvoy noted recently when asked about the situation that there wouldn’t be any hurt feelings regardless of who was named the captain.

“Dave’s gonna be what I think is a Hall of Famer. I think he’ll be retired here. He’s done so much, like who he is as a person, as a teammate, and what he means to this organization and team. I love him to death, and he would be extremely deserving,” said McAvoy of Pastrnak potentially being named captain. “Whatever happens, it’s out of my hands. But I don’t think there would be any friction. What we did last year, and it’s not just us, we lean on everybody. That was how [Chara] did it, that was how [Bergeron] did it. It’s not something that you just do alone so I think it was a good exercise last year and collaboration in how we want to do it together.”

Chara and Bergeron Laid the Foundation

When Chara was the captain of the Bruins, it was clear that Bergeron was every bit as deserving of the honors. Throughout their time together in Boston, Chara never viewed Bergeron as just another player in the mix, but rather as his co-captain on the team.

This scenario will undoubtedly be different than the Chara and Bergeron era, but Pastrnak will still lean on McAvoy to help lead the team despite the new letter on his chest. Both have developed into true leaders on and off the ice and it’s been a noticeable transition for each from young player into veterans on the team.

Pastrnak has already shown captain-like tendencies, as recently as asking rookie James Hagens to get some additional time on the ice with him to shoot some pucks. For the Bruins, it was a chance for one of the team’s best prospects to get some additional work in with a veteran. For Hagens, though, it was a way to show him the culture being built in Boston as well as an opportunity to continue learning the finer details, not only of Pastrnak’s on-ice skill, but also his work ethic.

“It’s been awesome. He’s been so welcoming; everybody here has been. To be able to be in the locker room and have him pull me aside and ask, ‘Do you want to go out and shoot some pucks?’ It’s something I’m grateful for. It helps a lot when you’re able to pick a guy like that’s [brain]. Everything he does, I can learn from, so it was really cool.”

It wasn’t that long ago that Pastrnak was the young player in the locker room being coached up by the veterans in the locker room. Now, Pastrnak is returning the favor in kind and showing exactly why the team felt like he was the right choice to be named captain.

Pastrnak’s Legacy Growing in Boston

Pastrnak has always been a player who’s produced much more than his draft status would indicate and this is another accomplishment in his already storied career. Not all first-round picks are created equal and this is especially true of players taken in the latter stages of the round, like Pastrnak with the 25th overall selection. Despite this, Pastrnak developed not only into an impactful NHL player, but also into one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

With each passing season, Pastrnak continues to climb the Bruins’ all-time franchise rankings and should be in line to pass some significant names in some major categories this season.

Entering the 2026-27 season with 420 goals and 933 points, Pastrnak is looking to cement his legacy even further. The two names directly above Pastrnak on the Bruins franchise goal list are two of his former linemates, also former captains, Marchand and Bergeron. Marchand scored 422 goals in 1,090 games whereas Bergeron recorded 427 in 1,294. There’s also a chance that Pastrnak passes Phil Esposito this season with the legendary Bruin having scored 459 goals in just 625 games during his time in Boston.

With 933 points in his career, Pastrnak is also in line to reach the ever-impressive 1,000-point milestone this season. The names within reach of him include Marchand (976), Esposito (1,012) and Bergeron (1,040). Just to have his name in the same discussion as some of these all-time greats is a testament to Pastrnak’s career. Being able to surpass their totals while also joining two of them as captains in such a storied franchise’s history is just the next chapter of his already impressive career.