The Boston Bruins announced today that David Pastrnak has been named the 28th captain in franchise history.
Pastrnak joins a distinguished group of former Bruins captains, including 16 Hockey Hall of Famers and nine players whose numbers have been retired by the organization. Patrice Bergeron will become the 10th former Bruins captain to receive the honor when his No. 37 is retired in December.
Past Bruins Captains include Brad Marchand (2023-25), Patrice Bergeron (2021-23), Zdeno Chara (2006-20), Joe Thornton (2002-05), Jason Allison (2000-01), Ray Bourque (1985-2000), Rick Middleton (1985-88), Terry O'Reilly (1983-85), Wayne Cashman (1977-83), Johnny Bucyk (1966-67 and 1973-77), Leo Boivin (1963-66), Don McKenney (1961-63), Ferny Flaman (1955-61), Ed Sandford (1954-55), Milt Schmidt (1947-54), Bobby Bauer (1946-47), Jack Crawford (1945-46), Bill Cowley (1944-45), Ralph 'Cooney' Weiland (1937-39), Red Beattie (1936-37), Eddie Shore (1935-36), Nels Stewart (1934-35), Marty Barry (1933-34), Aubrey 'Dit' Clapper (1932-33 and 1939-44), George Owen (1931-32), Lionel Hitchman (1928-31) and Sprague Cleghorn (1925-28).
Entering his 13th NHL season, Pastrnak has skated in 833 career games, all with Boston, recording 420 goals and 513 assists for 933 points with a plus-145 rating. He ranks among the top 10 in franchise history in goals (fifth), assists (ninth), points (sixth) and points per game (T-7th, 1.12).
The 30-year-old ranks tied for first in franchise history with eight 30-goal seasons, tied for second with five 40-goal seasons, and is one of just two Bruins to score 60 goals in a season (2022-23). Pastrnak also ranks second in franchise history with 19 hat tricks and ranks among the top five in power-play goals (4th, 132) and multipoint games (4th, 266). He is also one of three skaters in franchise history to record at least four consecutive 100-point seasons.
Pastrnak ranks tied for 11th among active NHL skaters in career goals and 19th in points. Among Czech-born NHL players, the forward ranks second in goals and third in points, while leading all active Czech skaters in goals, assists and points.
Pastrnak skated in 77 games for Boston during the 2025-26 season, recording 29 goals and a career-high 71 assists for 100 points, marking his fourth consecutive 100-point campaign. He ranked sixth in the NHL in assists and tied for seventh in points, while leading Bruins skaters in assists, points, points per game (1.30), even-strength points (67), power-play points (33) and shots (261). He also led Boston forwards in average time on ice, skating a career-high 20:39 per game.
Pastrnak’s 2025-26 season was highlighted by several career milestones, including his 800th NHL game, 400th NHL goal and 500th NHL assist, as well as a career-high six-point performance on Jan. 10, 2026, which tied a franchise record for most assists in one game.
During the 2022-23 season, Pastrnak became the second player in franchise history, joining Phil Esposito, to score 60 goals in a season with his 61-goal campaign. He helped lead the team to a 135-point season, which set franchise records for wins (65) and points. As a Hart Trophy finalist in 2022-23, Pastrnak led the league with 13 game-winning goals and recorded a career-high 113 points.
Pastrnak appeared in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final with the Bruins and has skated in 96 career playoff games, recording 42 goals and 52 assists for 94 points, including seven game-winning goals.
The forward has appeared in four NHL All-Star Games (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024), receiving All-Star Game MVP honors in 2020. He was awarded the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer during the 2019-20 season following a 48-goal performance in a shortened 70-game season. The forward received NHL First All-Star Team honors in 2020 and 2023, and Second All-Star Team honors in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Internationally, Pastrnak has represented Czechia in six IIHF World Championships (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025), capturing gold in 2024, when he scored the game-winning goal, and bronze in 2022, when he led all tournament skaters with seven goals. He led all players in scoring at the 2025 tournament with 15 points in eight games, earning a spot on the World Championship All-Star Team and being named Best Forward.
Pastrnak has been awarded the Golden Hockey Stick as the top Czech hockey player eight times, including five consecutive wins from 2017-21. He also represented Team Czechia as an alternate captain at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, tallying five points in five tournament games.
The Havirov, Czechia native was originally selected by Boston in the first round (25th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
