More than any other Bruin, David Pastrnak’s game runs on the pure emotion of joy. And truth be told, there were times this year that he looked like he was playing with the same child-like abandon he has always played the game. He did hit the 40-goal mark again, after all, despite a slow start to his season and a late core injury that he’ll need the offseason to rest.
But any knowledge of what he and his girlfriend, Rebecca, went through last summer would tell you that he had to be adversely affected by it. The couple announced last June the death of their infant son. Viggo Rohl Pastrnak, just six days after his birth.
At the start of the season, Pastrnak gave a statement to thank friends, family and anyone who had expressed their sympathies. But he was clearly not comfortable discussing the unspeakable tragedy. But on breakup day on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena, Pastrnak opened the door a crack on the pain he endured throughout the season.
The 25-year-old was at first asked if there had been any discussion on a new contract for him. He has one more year on his deal and he can sign a new deal in July. At that moment, he gave a glimpse of how difficult the season has been.
“I haven’t given it a thought yet to be honest. I’ve had a lot of other stuff to be worried about the whole year, so I haven’t been thinking about that at all,” said Pastrnak.
Asked how much hockey occupied his life this season, Pastrnak said “It went down a lot, to be honest. It’s been a tough year overall for me. I want to turn the page pretty much as quick as I can. Obviously, we’re very much in a better place than we were months ago, so, yeah, it’s tough. I’m glad it’s over and feeling better now.”
As is his way, Pastrnak tried to smile his way through the difficult emotions, but there was no mistaking the single tear that rolled down his face after he was asked how he got through it.
“It was just time. Time together. Just time. Time and love,” said Pastrnak. “It was very tough. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody in their lives. Hopefully there’s better things ahead of us.”
INJURIES UPDATE
One of the worst kept secrets was the fact that Matt Grzelcyk was playing with a shoulder injury for most of the season. On Monday, he revealed exactly what it was. He had suffered a dislocated right shoulder in the Jan. 22 home game against Winnipeg and he hadn’t been right since then. He will have surgery to correct it next week and he’s expected to miss the start of next season.
“It was quite difficult not feeling like myself obviously,” said Grzelcyk, who wound up being scratched the last two playoff games. “Pain-wise, it would keep popping in and out, that’s why I would have to miss a game or two and wait for it to calm down. Unfortunately I have to have surgery but I’m just looking forward to getting healthy again and start feeling like myself again. I played with it for 50 games or so, so it really limited what I was able to do out there. Just to get through practice some days was pretty tough. But it was definitely worth it and I’d make that decision again to try and gut it out and play for the team.”
Grzelcyk had the same injury on his left shoulder that required surgery while he was at Boston University.
“I think I’m having a different procedure this time so it might be a quicker recovery, so I know what to expect at least this time and know how that process works,” said Grzelcyk.
Brad Marchand also said he suffered an injury to his AC joint when he took a hit from Washington’s Garnet Hathaway on Jan. 20. He also said that he may need some surgical attention either this summer or next.
BRUINS SIGN ZBORIL
The Bruins took care of one pressing bit of business on Monday. They signed defenseman Jakub Zboril, who was set to become a Group 6 free agent, to a two-year extension that carries a $1.1375 million NHL cap hit.
Zboril suffered an ACL tear in a Dec. 2 in a game at Nashville. At the time, it looked like he had finally earned a regular spot in the lineup after three years in Providence.
As much as it hurt at the time, he had no idea he’d miss the rest of the season.
“I got hurt and on the video it looked like nothing,” said Zboril. “I went to the locker room in so much pain and they checked my ligaments in my knee and everyone thought it was OK. And then I had the MRI and the next day I got a call that my season’s done. It was pretty bad news. I was walking with my girlfriend in the Prudential Center and I got the call. I just had to sit down. I almost started to cry. I was like ‘Holy (expletive). What just happened?’”
But apparently, he has shown enough for the Bruins to extend the 2015 first-round draft pick, the first of three first rounders that year. He’s thankful for the new deal.
“I am, especially after getting injured and seeing that the team still believes in me,” he said.
DEBRUSK AVOIDS QUESTIONS ON FUTURE
Jake DeBrusk remained elusive on whether he still wants out of Boston or not.
“I haven’t thought about it, to be honest for you. It was kind of nice not to think abut it since the deadline,” said DeBrusk, whose trade request became public last November. “I’ve been spending lots of time with the boys here. It’s been two days. I’ll go back home with my family and kind of go over the year more thoroughly and then make my call from there.”
Whether he stays or goes is not his call, of course. At the deadline, he signed a two-year extension worth $4 million a season.
“I don’t think I would have signed something like that if I wasn’t OK (with staying),” said DeBrusk. “Obviously, it was crazy circumstances around that time especially, but I’m signed for another two years. I was excited to sign that and I think my game took off after that as well.”…
The Bruins signed 2019 first-round draft pick Johnny Beecher (30th overall) to his three-year entry level deal worth an NHL salary of $925,000. Working on an ATO after leaving Michigan, Beecher had three goals and two assists in nine games with Providence….
Anton Blidh, who found himself on the outside looking in after getting in a post-game brawl in Detroit late in the season, sounds like he’s ready to look elsewhere for work. He will be a UFA in the summer.
“Some days I’d rather be in the AHL to be honest. I did not sign here to sit on the ninth floor in the press box. I signed here to play hockey. But obviously its the NHL and its my goal to play up here,” said Blidh.
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