David Pastrnak knows the uneasy edge that comes with being the young player trying to crack an NHL roster. He’s lived it, and now he’s passing along a blunt message to the Bruins’ latest wave of prospects: don’t shrink yourself when the chance arrives.
Asked what he would tell the 18- and 19-year-old players trying to make their mark, Pastrnak kept it simple. The Bruins winger said the point is to trust what got them here in the first place.
"Play your game, there's a reason you are here," Pastrnak said in a post exhibition interview. "You don't get many opportunities in this league, and if you come in scared and nervous, that opportunity can run away real quick from you."
That’s the heart of it for Pastrnak. Young players are not just battling one another; they’re trying to prove themselves against established NHL veterans while convincing coaches and management they belong. In that kind of setting, nerves can quickly take over and hide the qualities that made a player stand out.
"Don't be afraid," Pastrnak said. "Play your game because that's why you know you are here."
The Bruins have several young players chasing those preseason chances, hoping to turn them into full-time jobs. For them, Pastrnak’s advice carries weight because it comes from someone who has already gone through the same pressure cooker.
His message isn’t about becoming somebody different to force a roster spot. It’s about showing the Bruins exactly why the opportunity was earned in the first place.
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