Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox have to pay their players to win

Boston Bruins

Facing a similar dilemma are the Bruins who couldn’t reach an extension agreement with superstar winger David Pastrnak. Pasta may share G-Will’s disappointment, but the comparisons end there.

It’s not always easy to replace a role player. But it would be very difficult to recover from losing an elite goal scorer.

Pastrnak led the Bruins in goals in four of the past five seasons, finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2019-20 after a career high 48 goals, is fifth in the NHL in goals over the past five seasons, and is only 26 years old.

That’s a franchise player. Boston would be stupid if they let Pastrnak get away.

The Bruins didn’t have the cap space to sign Pastrnak, who’s within his rights to demand more than $10 million per year. He gave Boston a hometown discount on his previous deal. This time around, it’s on the Bruins to thank Pastrnak’s loyalty with a market value deal this time.

After a four-point game to start the season, you could hear the price of Pasta going up.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney has had his fair share of criticisms over the years. If his failure to lock up Pastrnak before the season leads to Pasta’s departure, failing to close that deal would be Sweeney’s biggest mistake, by far.

Pastrnak will be an unrestricted free agent after the season and will be one of the top prizes if he hits the market. There will be no excuse for the Bruins to sign Pastrnak to the richest contract in franchise history next year. More than enough money will become available when several players become free agents, freeing up the funds to get Pastrnak’s name on a contract.

If Sweeney doesn’t get that done, Sweeney’s hot seat will be scorching.