Thursday came with the least shocking news possible, with Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak officially named to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, which will take place Feb. 3 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
Fittingly, Pastrnak’s confirmation that he would be the Bruins’ rep in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game came on National Spaghetti Day. Coincidence? You tell me.
Pastrnak’s latest honor was a mere inevitability, as his 23 goals rank sixth in the NHL, while his 53 points are tied with the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and New York’s Artemi Panarin for the third-most in the NHL near the halfway mark of the year.
(Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov are atop the point leaderboards this season, with 64 points each, in case you were curious how the Hart Trophy race is shaping up thus far.)
Pastrnak has also been the face of the Black and Gold’s offensive push, too, with team-highs in goals (23), points (53), even-strength goals (16), even-strength points (31), power-play goals (7), power-play points (22), and points per game (1.43).
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 28: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring a penalty shot against the Red Wings during the third period at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Pastrnak is also the unofficial leader in cool-ass goals, particularly when it comes to penalty shots, with some straight-up wizardry with the puck on his blade.
David Pastrnak scores another penalty shot goal.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) October 29, 2023
3-1 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/lsiNrlQ1lb
Oct 14, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrates with fans after scoring on a penalty shot against the Predators during the second period at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)
This will be Pastrnak’s second straight All-Star Game appearance, and the fourth of his career.
Pastrnak was honored as the All-Star Game MVP in 2020, and later donated the car he won as the game’s MVP to a Boston nurse on the frontlines of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s also worth wondering if Pastrnak will be joined by another Bruin at this year’s All-Star Game.
If there’s another Bruin worth consideration, it’s definitely goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Even after Thursday’s tough, six-goal outing against the Penguins, Swayman still boasts a .922 save percentage (second-best in the NHL) and 2.43 goals against average (fifth-best in the NHL), and has without a doubt been one of the best goalies in the league this season.
Feb 4, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Atlantic Division forward David Pastrnak (88) of the Boston Bruins reacts after scoring a goal against the Central Division during the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. (Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Out of the gate, Pastrnak will be joined by Toronto’s Auston Matthews, Florida’s Sam Reinhart, Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat, the Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki, Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, and Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as Atlantic Division reps.
But the divisions will not mean much this year, as the year will go back to the player draft style of picking teams.
