RW David Pastrnak (2014, 25th overall, Boston)

[Ace88*]

Just like when Seguin broke out in 2012, whenever a thread was made you'd see "Yeah he's good but Kessel is better"

Odd it's the same team. But this time I don't even know why. They were drafted almost 20 picks apart and have no connection to eachother besides the fact that they're good friends... But by trade/whatever, no connection at all

they played together in the shl, genius

 

[PsychoDad]

Looks like his insane stats last season in Sweden were not simply a product of Nylander but rather of his own skill, his PPG was absurd for the age and league he was in. Thought he would surprise some people but certainly not nearly as fast as he has.

I always didn't get the Nylander factor - Nylander played half a season for another Allsvenskan team, Rogle, and posted only half the PPG he had with Pastrnak later in the season as he was traded to Södertälje. They obviously both benefited from playing with each other, but one has an NHL star as a father and the other does not.

 

[Hansen]

I always didn't get the Nylander factor - Nylander played half a season for another Allsvenskan team, Rogle, and posted only half the PPG he had with Pastrnak later in the season as he was traded to Södertälje. They obviously both benefited from playing with each other, but one has an NHL star as a father and the other does not.

I found it fascinating how two players were doing so well in their draft eligible year on the same team. Its very difficult to find ways to watch games in Sweden, the SHL even, never mind Allsvenskan hockey, so I had wondered if it was Nylander helping him, vice versa, or a mutual gain, but had no way to find out.

 

[reffree]

they played together in the shl, genius

I agree with you kid, the 4000 posts on Nylander's thread are not enough, we need Leaf fans to talk about him here too. We all need it.

 

[PsychoDad]

I found it fascinating how two players were doing so well in their draft eligible year on the same team. Its very difficult to find ways to watch games in Sweden, the SHL even, never mind Allsvenskan hockey, so I had wondered if it was Nylander helping him, vice versa, or a mutual gain, but had no way to find out.

From the lone numbers perspective Nylanders numbers went way up after he was put on Pastrnaks team. The thing is - he kept the pace after Pastrnak went down with the injury. David also suffered from not overly impressive numbers at the U18 and U20 WJC (Nylander rocked the U18 but didn't make the U20 team). Also, people are prone to think that a winger is a product of a center when they have similar numbers so that, and his smaller size, worked against Pastrnak at the draft too.

 

[Ace88*]

I agree with you kid, the 4000 posts on Nylander's thread are not enough, we need Leaf fans to talk about him here too. We all need it.

i dont think ive ever posted in a nylander thread. and i agree with you old man, i would like to keep him out of a Pastrnak thread but the guy asked why nylander was brought up. Well, they played together in another league, that's why. They're probably going to be discussed in the same contexts for a long time.

 

[Dellstrom]

they played together in the shl, genius

"besides the fact that they're good friends"

Another two points tonight. Scored our 2nd goal on a great rush, got his own rebound, then set up Spooner for the OT winner with a stunning fake-shot pass.

Keeps getting better and better by the day. He's only 18 years old and 167 lbs, but he's been one of our best players since he's been called up. Has a long way to go and it's only up from here for him.

 

[BadBruins]

3 game point streak. 5 points in his last 5 games. 8 points in his last 10. All Even strength 5 on 5. Youngest player in the NHL.

 

[bearcountry17]

Relatively same PPG, in the NHL, as Nylander, in the AHL, where Pastrnak scored at double the rate.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

It's a shame he's not going to have Calder eligibility next season; it'd be tough to win against McDavid anyway, but he could've made a good run at it.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I love this kid, honestly in a redraft he's probably going after Dal Colle at 6. I love his speed and how he carries the puck up the ice with such confidence. He's not that big, but he goes in high traffic areas and always seems to be a scoring threat. IMO, he looks like he's going to be a legit top line winger. In some ways his style kind of reminds me of Taresenko.

 

[cneely]

Another goal today.
This kid could be something special. His development curve over the last 24 months has been insane.

 

[Gargyn]

I love this kid, honestly in a redraft he's probably going after Dal Colle at 6. I love his speed and how he carries the puck up the ice with such confidence. He's not that big, but he goes in high traffic areas and always seems to be a scoring threat. IMO, he looks like he's going to be a legit top line winger. In some ways his style kind of reminds me of Taresenko.

I don't see the similarities at all but we can all hope. Hopefully pastrnak works on his size and strength and especially his shot which at this time is really weak.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I'm getting a Bergeron-vibe from him, not for the type of player he is, but rather how exactly he fell that far in the draft. The only draw-backs I'm seeing with him right now are size and that his shot isn't exactly great (nice snipe today aside), and that's at 18. Offensively, he's a fantastic skater and extremely creative with the puck, is not afraid to go into the dirty areas whatsoever, plays with a ton of confidence, and always has his feet moving to get open. Just looks like he has great hockey IQ. Defensively, he's tenacious on the backcheck and has shown a really good ability to pick people's pockets. It's not like there's a character issue either; he seems happy-go-lucky and well-liked on the team. I just don't get how he was available late in the 1st.

 

[ulvvf]

Pastrnak have to be consider to be the number 2 after Ekblad right now.

1: Ekblad
2: Pastrnak
3: Nylander
4: Ehlers
5: Reinhart
6: Fiala

That Pastrnak was extremly underrated in the draft can not come as a surprise for anyone that saw him in allsvenskan, even for those that didnt see him, the stats alone should have been a good indication of that, espically since he was one of the more younger player in that draft.

 

[rob4748]

Kid can flat out play.

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B_lwfkwVEAA_Upt.mp4


https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B_lxz5bUIAASN8v.mp4


Would Pasta be a top 5 pick in the re draft?

 

[bearcountry17]

Pastrnak is 3 goals and 3 assists away from matching Tyler Seguin's rookie total in 45 less games played.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

He's got a "nak" for scoring.

 

[BadBruins]

The only draw-backs I'm seeing with him right now are size and that his shot isn't exactly great (nice snipe today aside), and that's at 18

Definitely more of a finisher than a shooter at this stage. He does seem to get a lot on his one-timer though. Funny you mention Bergeron because he's kind of the same way with a deceptively heavy one-timer, yet doesn't generate much velocity with the rest of his shooting arsenal (and he's a two time 30 goal scorer). Also noticed he prefers to whip the puck around a bit like Semin, though obviously with less raw power.

Hockey sense is top notch. Love the quick stick and anticipation. No question he can process the game at this level. Incredible at 18. Only matter of time before he's killing penalties and becomes a shorthanded threat IMO.

 

[William Hylander]

I know he is a long ways off but this reminds me of Erik Karlsson. Get's picked in the second half of the first round and no one says anything. Then he starts absolutely killing it and leaves everyone except for Bruins/Sens fans wondering why he didn't get picked sooner.

Frustrating to see Boston draft so well, as a Leaf fan.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I don't see the similarities at all but we can all hope. Hopefully pastrnak works on his size and strength and especially his shot which at this time is really weak.

Taresenko peronally reminds me a lot of Kovalchuk. While I admit, Pastrnak is not that kind of sniper with a big shot yet, there's still similar elements that I see. The way he skates up the ice and weaves in and out of the opposition and carries the puck over the blueline. Plus he's going to the right spots in the offensive zone to finish scoring chances. The way he skates and handles the puck reminds me somewhat of VT, if he continues to develop that aspect of his game as he gets stronger, he could become an elite player.

 

[ulvvf]

I know he is a long ways off but this reminds me of Erik Karlsson. Get's picked in the second half of the first round and no one says anything. Then he starts absolutely killing it and leaves everyone except for Bruins/Sens fans wondering why he didn't get picked sooner.

Frustrating to see Boston draft so well, as a Leaf fan.

Why are you frustrated over how boston is drafting as a Leaf fan? Is it some rivalry between boston and toronto? Because I do not see how it impact you, Pastrnak would have been drafted either way, if not by Boston, then by someone else, and it you where not next to pick a player.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

I don't know how he dropped to 25th, I thought his WJC performance was enough to put him in the top ten. I guess scouts are timid when it comes to small skill players.

 

[Analyzer*]

I don't know how he dropped to 25th, I thought his WJC performance was enough to put him in the top ten. I guess scouts are timid when it comes to small skill players.

6'0 isn't really all that small.

Great pick. I was hoping they wouldn't take Scherbak, but had forgotten about this guy. They drafted him and it still felt like losing out. He's a player I swore someone else drafted before hand, but didn't.

 

[Montecristo]

Disagree. He wasn't a terrible skater, but he definitely lacked the explosiveness he has now. This was last year's WJC:



Compare that video to his goals last night - watch him streak down the wing on the 1st. That's a much faster player than from a year prior. And on his 2nd goal, that's a much quicker player than from a year ago:



For a player of his skill level, skating was certainly something that needed a lot of work. His hands, vision, and release were already NHL caliber.

Wasn't he hurt at the WJC that year? I'm going off of memory so maybe not but I thought a reason he fell in the draft was because of his WJC and it came out he was either hurt or coming back from injury during that tournament. Every game I watch the bs play he reminds me of voracek in how he controls the puck in the offensive zone. He's not as big and doesn't have the shot voracek does but just the creativity pastrnak has seems similar to voracek. He has a long way to go but some of the unorthodox things he does that most players wouldn't think to do is a similar trait to the fellow Czech