Report: Draisaitl deal killed Pastnak negotiations

Boston Bruins fans have been waiting for weeks for the other shoe to drop. Yesterday, they got what they’d been waiting for, but they could have never predicted the ramifications. With Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl inking an eight year deal that pays him $8.5 annually, the Bruins may end up having to pay their own emerging superstar David Pastrnak that much or more. 

Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald is reporting that the Bruins have offered Pastrnak a six-year, $36 million contract that will pay him an average annual salary of $6 million. Those numbers, both in terms of dollars and term, pale in comparison to Draisaitl’s new deal. So, will the team be forced to buck up or will they play hard ball with the young sniper?

It’s been speculated all along that the team would like to fit Pastrnak’s new deal just below Brad Marchand’s average salary of $6.125 million within their cap structure. At this point, that looks to be a pipe dream. So, what do you think B’s fans? What’s a reasonable price for Pastrnak? The kid looks poised to do big things, wouldn’t it be worth it to lock him up long term to reap the benefits?