Report: Pastrnak to sign richest contract in team history
Pasta is about to break the bank!
HockeyFeed
With the 2022-23 season just days away, pressure is mounting on Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney to get superstar forward David Pastrnak under contract.
Pastrnak's six year, $40 million contract is schedule to end in the summer of 2023 making him an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NHL career. The belief is that Pastrnak and his representation are not interested in negotiating a new deal during the season, which leaves Sweeney with little time to get pen to paper on a new deal. The risk, obviously, is that Pastrnak walks away from the team next summer and that the Bruins get exactly nothing in return. Remember what happened with Johnny Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames? There was talk all along that Gaudreau wanted to stay in Calgary and that he'd sign a long-term deal with the team once the season ended. Now Gaudreau's in Columbus and the Flames were forced to scramble to replace him on their top line. There's absolutely no way that Sweeney can put the Bruins in that same position.
But, according to a report from Bruins insider Ty Anderson, Sweeney and the Bruins are more than willing to commit to Pastrnak. Anderson reported earlier today that the Bruins are prepared to hand Pastrnak the "richest contract in team history."
Check it out:
For reference, the richest contract in Bruins team history is Charlie McAvoy's eight year deal worth $76 million with an annual average value of $9.5 million. Also for reference, the New York Islanders signed forward Mathew Barzal to an eight year contract worth $73.2 million earlier today. Personally, I think that McAvoy is looking at an eight year deal worth at least $10 million per season on an eight year deal. Such a contract would take Pastrnak to 34 years of age and would expire in the 2031 offseason. Now, if that doesn't sound absolutely insane, I don't know what does...
Pastrnak has played all 510 games of his NHL career with the Bruins, amassing 240 goals and 504 points. He put up a career high 48 goals and 95 points just two seasons ago.
