David Pastrnak Deserves More Love in the Hart Trophy Race - Here's Why
Let’s talk about value - not in theory, but in practice. Because if we’re talking about the player most valuable to his team this NHL season, it’s hard to look past David Pastrnak and what he’s doing for the Boston Bruins.
Sure, Macklin Celebrini is turning heads out in San Jose - and rightfully so. The 19-year-old sophomore is putting together a season that’s impossible to ignore. But while Celebrini’s getting plenty of spotlight, Pastrnak is doing something just as impactful, if not more, and somehow flying under the radar in the Hart Trophy conversation.
Right now, the Hart odds don’t reflect what’s happening on the ice. Nathan MacKinnon is the clear frontrunner according to the sportsbooks, with Celebrini and Connor McDavid trailing behind.
After that, you’ve got names like Nikita Kucherov, Ilya Sorokin, Leon Draisaitl, and Kirill Kaprizov in the mix. Then, way down the board - buried in a sea of +50000 longshots - is Pastrnak.
That’s not just surprising. It’s baffling.
Let’s break this down.
Pastrnak isn’t just Boston’s best player - he’s their engine. He’s currently 19 points ahead of the next closest Bruin in scoring.
That’s not a small gap. That’s a chasm.
And he’s put up 19 points in his last 10 games, right as Boston has surged back into a playoff spot. This was a team that many expected to take a step back this season, maybe even miss the playoffs entirely.
Instead, they’re right in the thick of it - and Pastrnak is the biggest reason why.
What makes his case even stronger is how he elevates the guys around him. It doesn’t seem to matter who’s on his line - they produce.
Rookie Fraser Minten? Put him next to Pastrnak, and he finds the back of the net.
Marat Khusnutdinov? Suddenly looks like a top-six winger.
Morgan Geekie? After 12 games without a goal, he gets paired with Pastrnak and breaks the slump.
That’s not just skill - that’s impact. That’s value.
And yet, Pastrnak is being grouped in the odds with players like JJ Peterka, Timo Meier, Igor Shesterkin (who might be done for the year), and Logan Stankoven. Good players, no doubt. But not in the same conversation when it comes to carrying a team like Pastrnak has.
The Hart Trophy is supposed to go to the player judged most valuable to his team. Not the flashiest.
Not the one with the most highlight-reel goals. The most valuable.
And by that standard, Pastrnak deserves to be in the top five of any serious MVP discussion.
If he’s not, maybe the hockey world just isn’t watching the Bruins closely enough. Because if you are, you know exactly how much No. 88 means to this team.