David Pastrnak Has Captain-Like Take On Bruins’ Captain Vacancy

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins endured extreme change during the 2024-25 season.

Perhaps no change was more significant than general manager Don Sweeney’s difficult decision to deal captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline on March 7.

Losing the leadership of Marchand was exacerbated by the injuries to Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, along with Sweeney trading forward Charlie Coyle.

David Pastrnak was left on an island as one of the longest-tenured leaders on the team. The 28-year-old embraced the expanded role and thrived on and off the ice, but would he want to be named the 28th captain in Bruins history?

“The leaders I had around me, it was never about who wears the C or who wears the A,” Pastrnak said at the club’s breakup day at Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday. “Everybody in the room is equal here, and that’s one of the things that we have to find a group of the core again that is willing to put the work in, and it’s not about one guy. It’s gonna be multiple of us and we need to be working together.

“It doesn’t matter who’s gonna end up wearing any letter, but it starts in the group. Everybody’s equal here, no matter if you’re younger or older. That’s what it’s always been like, and we have to keep it going.”

It may not be apparent to those outside the organization, but Pastrnak wasn’t thrust into the role; he had been growing as a leader for years. The Bruins’ injuries just happened to magnify his role this season.

“I’m confident enough to be one of the leaders of the team,” he said. “We have a lot to do as a core of leaders. Unfortunately, a couple of them were injured, like Hampus, and Charlie was injured for a long time. Those are two big key (members) of our core that you missed on and off the ice.

“It’s been tough. … I tried to do my best and moving forward, still have a group of core players, and we obviously have a lot of work to do ahead (of us) and we will put the time in together and make sure we come and be much, much better as a Boston Bruins team next year.”