David Pastrnak has been less than 100 percent healthy for each of the last two postseasons, and the Bruins have fallen short of their ultimate goal both times. These are both true statements after Pastrnak discussed the lower body injury that dogged him throughout the playoffs during a Zoom call with the Boston media Friday.
Even with the thumb injury that nagged him a year ago and the lower body injury that clearly impacted his explosiveness over the last month, the 24-year-old Pastrnak managed 12 goals and 29 points in 34 playoff games, including two goals and six points in five games vs. the Lightning.
The questions of “what if” are natural for the Bruins' most dangerous player, though, particularly when the Black and Gold made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Pastrnak's frustration also is definitely there, as he hasn’t felt good physically when it matters most to the Bruins in these postseasons.
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“To be honest, [it’s] very frustrating. My closest I felt to 100% was the last game of our [regular] season. I could totally tell the difference. It was obviously so much more fun when you’re feeling healthy and you feel like you can contribute more, and help the team more. It’s very frustrating,” said Pastrnak.
“This stuff is unfortunately part of hockey and its stuff you’re going to deal with and obviously try to prevent it as a player. These kinds of injuries just happen. How I said, [it was] unfortunate and very frustrating for myself.”
While Pastrnak said his conditioning was good headed into the playoffs, the thumb injury a year ago was an off-ice injury that Pastrnak took responsibility for even as it clearly hampered his shooting ability.
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This time around, head coach Bruce Cassidy said Pastrnak's conditioning was impacted when he was stuck in quarantine throughout Boston’s Phase 3 training camp period. Pastrnak might have avoided the entire situation had he arrived in Boston earlier than he did, but it’s difficult to say given that his troubles arose simply because he was in close contact with somebody who had COVID-19.
Pastrnak said he never tested positive in the 23 times he was tested while being stuck in quarantine for a month, and that was difficult knowing he was missing practice time on the ice.
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“[The injury] wasn’t 100% at all, but I got to that point where I could play through it. I was happy that I could play. Training camp, I don’t know, it’s just unfortunate,” said Pastrnak. “The rules are I was stuck up in quarantine for 28 days with about 20 or 25 negative tests. That was obviously tough, and I really wish I could have been part of the training camp.
“Do I do something different? I came here two weeks before [training camp], it was unfortunate that I was close to someone with COVID-19. But I still had 23 negative tests. I just hope things are going to be normal. I’m going to fly to Boston as soon as I guess, a month, before the next training camp. I’m sure I’m not going to miss any time.”
It’s good to hear Pastrnak will take the extra time to arrive even earlier next season, whenever that might actually turn out to be for the NHL in the future. But the best development for Bruins fans is if the NHL’s leading goal-scorer can be just as dominant through next regular season and then stay healthy for the postseason to see exactly how good he can be for an aging Bruins hockey club that needs him to be a difference-maker in the playoffs.
It was frustrating for everybody to watch Pastrnak go through a playoff series against the Lightning at less than his game-breaking best, and he needs to do whatever he can in his power to avoid that given his important to this Bruins team.
They aren’t going to win if Pastrnak is dinged up in the playoffs. It’s as simple as that for Pasta and the Black and Gold moving forward.