The Boston Bruins have had a brutal 2024-25 season, and that was despite the presence of David Pastrnak. They went 33-39-10 this season, finishing second-to-last in the Eastern Conference and missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Such a lack of performance may necessitate changes that can be painful, but they could ultimately lead to the team recovering and becoming a contender once again.
David Pastrnak, aka “Pasta,” finished fourth in scoring in the NHL this past season. If the Bruins want to return to their winning ways, will that include trading their best player? It could. Already, mock trade rumors are floating around in the league.
One such trade rumor suggests Pastrnak could be headed to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes attempted to trade Mikko Rantanen for Mitch Marner, but that failed. They still want that star-level player to move them closer to a Stanley Cup. Pastrnak more than fills that role.
The proposed trade shows the Hurricanes receiving:
The Bruins would receive:
2026 1st-round pick
Logan Stankoven, Andrei Svechnikov, and Alexander Nikishin
Some may say this trade would provide the Bruins with more youth (it would) and help them build for the future. Stankoven is just 22 years old, and Svechnikov is 25. Nikishin is 23 and has played in the KHL with some good numbers. He has had 157 points in 193 games and is a huge prospect. He stands 6′-4″, 216 pounds, and is an eager shooter who is confident with the puck.
If the Bruins were to pull off this trade, they would be receiving a center, a right wing, and a young defenseman. That certainly helps in a “retool”, as the Bruins describe it. BUT… do you give up your best player to make it happen?
Would David Pastrnak want to go to the Blackhawks? The Hawks are trying to come out of a rebuild, and they need a player like Pastrnak to complement Connor Bedard. Bedard has been rumored to be dissatisfied with the level of play in Chicago. So, general manager Kyle Davidson needs to help Bedard out, and what better candidate to do that than Pastrnak?
The problem with this trade scenario is that the Bruins would never agree to it. Draft picks are great, but they are no guarantee that they will resurrect your team’s future. Can the Bruins really wait a few years while prospects develop? I don’t think so. Chicago would need to give up more than that to consummate a deal.
The Blackhawks are projected to have a ton of cap space to afford Pastrnak’s $11.25 million contract that runs through the 2027-28 season. Could Bedard get his wish and land a winger of Pastrnak’s abilities to culminate the Chicago club’s ambitions towards Cup contention? Time will tell.
With the salary cap increasing to $95.5 million, teams will have more revenue to develop trades and even offer sheets. It is predicted to be a wild offseason as teams jockey to improve their rosters. Star players could be traded, or offer sheets used as a tool to acquire rising stars in the NHL. And then, when free agency kicks in on July 1st, it could change the dynamics of the league dramatically.
Before the cap increased, teams couldn’t afford the escalating salary demands of free agents. A prime example is Mitch Marner. He is expected to gather about $12-$14 million AAV in a seven or eight-year contract. Players will have to make decisions about whether they wish to stay with their current team or move to greener pastures.
David Pastrnak can decide whether he wants to win now or wait for a Bruins retool. Marner may decide the same thing, especially if the Maple Leafs don’t advance deep into the playoffs or win the Stanley Cup.
In this writer’s opinion, Pastrnak will remain a Bruin. If Boston wants to regroup and become a contender again, it will need Pastrnak’s offensive firepower. He is too valuable a player to trade away unless the return is comparable.
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