Bruins, Pastrnak to discuss contract extension in early July

Boston Bruins management and star forward David Pastrnak will sit down in early July to discuss a contract extension, his agent told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Pastrnak is entering the final season of a six-year, $40-million contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent.

The 26-year-old is due for a sizable raise after massively outplaying his $6.67-million cap hit. He's averaged 44 goals and 49 assists per 82 games through the first five campaigns of the deal.

Pastrnak re-upping in Boston is no guarantee, though. He was apparently unhappy that general manager Don Sweeney let Torey Krug walk as a UFA in 2020 and didn't persuade David Krejci to stay in Boston, who instead left for his native Czechia in 2021.

"(Pastrnak) had seen how Don has treated his two best friends," a source close to Pastrnak told The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa in a text. "No chance he comes back with (Sweeney) as GM."

Sweeney made the bold decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy on Monday. Cassidy led the Bruins to the playoffs in all six years on the job, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2019.

The Bruins could undergo further changes, too, as captain Patrice Bergeron remains undecided on his playing future.

Boston will also be without Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy to begin 2022-23 as the two pillars recently underwent offseason surgeries.

There's been plenty of speculation the Bruins could undergo a rebuild if Bergeron opts to retire. If Pastrnak chooses not to re-sign, they'd be forced to trade him, Friedman noted.