David Pastrnak will enter his 13th NHL season with a new responsibility after the Boston Bruins named the winger their 28th captain Sunday.
Pastrnak succeeds Brad Marchand, who held the role until Boston traded him to the Florida Panthers on March 7, 2025.
The Bruins left the captaincy vacant afterward before choosing Pastrnak ahead of the 2026-27 season, making for the longest unfilled vacancy in the NHL before Sunday’s news, per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa.
“Obviously very grateful and humble and honored to be the captain,” Pastrnak said. “Obviously recognize all the responsibility that comes with it. I can’t wait.
“My biggest goal is to be (the) best version for the team and the Bruins organization.”
Shinzawa reported Boston also considered defenseman Charlie McAvoy as another potential option, revealing that McAvoy will ultimately serve as Pastrnak’s alternate captain.
Pastrnak, who turned 30 in May, has spent his 12-season NHL career in Boston since the Bruins selected him No. 25 in the 2014 NHL Draft. He has 933 points on 420 goals and 513 assists across 833 regular-season games. Pastrnak has also scored 94 points in 96 postseason appearances.
The winger has led Boston in scoring for four consecutive seasons while reaching 100 points each year. He produced exactly 100 points last season, including a career-high 71 assists to go with 29 goals.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Bruins coach Marco Sturm said on Sunday the timing was right to fill the leadership role with Boston kicking off the new season on Tuesday.
“It was time for us to turn the page,” Sturm said, per Shinzawa, “and get a captain in here.”
Pastrnak will begin his captaincy in two days when the Bruins open the season at home against the New York Rangers at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
