David Pastrnak doesn’t sound bothered by the split in his offensive identity. Goals still matter, sure. But the Bruins’ star winger has become just as comfortable creating as he is finishing, and that’s exactly where Boston’s latest lineup puzzle begins.
“I would love to score goals again, obviously. But you guys know how I feel about playmaking.”
That’s the tension at the heart of Pastrnak’s game right now. He remains the one sure thing on a Bruins roster packed with uncertainty, youth and questions, and he’s kept producing no matter who’s beside him.
Over the last four seasons, the 30-year-old has topped 100 points every year, piling up 180 goals and 429 points in 323 games. Even after the end of the Bergeron era and all the turnover that followed, Pastrnak has kept driving Boston’s offense.
The strange part is that his most famous weapon - that violent one-timer - has shown up less often. Pastrnak burst into the league as a pure shooter and reached 61 goals in 2022-23, but lately he’s leaned harder into passing and chance creation. He led the NHL in primary assists at 5-on-5 since the start of the 2023-24 season, and last season he set a career high with 71 assists, often working with Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm.
That versatility has made him invaluable to Marco Sturm and the Bruins staff. It has also raised a simple question: could Boston get even more out of Pastrnak by building a better fit around him?
The numbers suggest the shot volume has dipped. Pastrnak scored 29 goals in 2025-26, his fewest in a full NHL season since 2015-16, and he finished with 261 shots, his lowest total in a full season since 2018-19. His power-play production has also cooled, with 19 man-advantage goals over the last two seasons combined, including just two over the final 41 games of 2025-26.
Sturm doesn’t sound ready to panic about it.
“He can do it all. But I’m not at that point where I say he’s going to drive me crazy because he’s not shooting enough,” Sturm said of Pastrnak.
“I’m not there at that point yet. Even last year I was never there.
There were a few times, of course, where I was like maybe he could shoot the puck more.
“But then all of a sudden, he makes an unbelievable play, and his linemate scores. So you’ve got to be really careful with him because he’s such a good player and he’s so smart.
He creates so much because he’s that good. And I don’t want to be in his ear all the time.
I always have to make sure I catch him at the right time. But as long as he’s producing, I’m good either way.”
Pastrnak, for his part, isn’t losing sleep over the goal total.
“I would love to score goals again, obviously. But you guys know how I feel about playmaking.
I love it,” Pastrnak added. “I will always pass if I see a guy in better position to score than me.
Of course everybody wants to score goals. That’s the beauty part about it.
But at the same time … I’d love to do both.”
Boston would certainly take both. Getting there may come down to the pieces around him.
Last season, Pastrnak spent most of his time with Geekie and Lindholm, but the Bruins also used him to stabilize several different combinations as they searched for offense. In all, he was part of four Bruins lines that logged at least 100 minutes together at 5-on-5.
The Geekie-Lindholm-Pastrnak trio saw the heaviest usage, but it wasn’t especially dominant. Boston was outscored 19-16 in 347 minutes with that group on the ice.
Another setup, though, worked much better. When Pastrnak skated with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, the Bruins outscored opponents 15-6 in 188 minutes at 5-on-5.
For now, it looks like Sturm may start by going back to the familiar look. Through the first four days of camp, Minten and Khusnutdinov appear headed toward a line with James Hagens, while Pastrnak is set to open with Geekie and Lindholm again. That group could get its first preseason run Tuesday against the Flyers at TD Garden.
“What I like about them is they’re a threat,” Sturm said of sticking with Geekie, Lindholm, and Pastrnak. “Lot of goals on that line.
Also you have a centerman - you don’t see it, but he takes care of those two with any mistakes. The biggest thing is they’re so skilled and they have the ability to score when they’re on the ice.
“Where they have to be better is just taking care of the puck better. A few times last season they were losing pucks, costly turnovers.
They probably spent a little too much time in their own end. So if they can control the puck a little more, it would be very good.”
Whether that line sticks or gets reshuffled, the bigger question is the same: can Boston find the right mix to get Pastrnak shooting more again? Sturm may want more finishing, but the Bruins also know their best player can tilt a game in a dozen different ways. On a roster that’s still taking shape, unlocking that shot again might be one of the most important tasks on the board.
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