Bruins Announce David Pastrnak As 28th Captain In Team History

The Boston Bruins announced on Sunday that forward David Pastrnak is the 28th captain. Following the short tenure of former captain Brad Marchand, Pastrnak will have a new edict: lead the team into the future. 

Originally selected 25th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, Pastrnak joined the team during the 2014-15 season as a rookie, playing 46 games, scoring 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists), and honing his skills in the AHL, playing 25 games in Providence. 

Pastrnak joined former Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara as the second European-born captain of the original-six franchise.

Chara wore the C from 2006-20, and following the Slovakian defenseman was Patrice Bergergon, a six-time Selke Trophy winner, Stanley Cup champion, who wore the C  from 2020-23. 

The Legacy Continues ©️ pic.twitter.com/w1ClQgX1bu

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 27, 2026

Pastrnak fills the role left by Brad Marchand after the Bruins traded him to the Florida Panthers during the 2024-25 NHL season. 

Head coach Marco Sturm and the front office weren't in a rush to name a new captain after Marchand, playing the entire 205-26 season without a captain, something that hasn't happened since the 2000-01 season. 

Instead, head coach Marco Sturm leaned on a collective leadership group led by Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and other established veterans like Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Elias Lindholm to anchor a retooling roster and help pen a new chapter in the franchise’s history.

It's fitting that Pastrnak is given the "C" patch, as he's the longest-tenured Bruin on the lineup, and this is his 13th season with the team.

Pastrnak's superstar talent cannot be understated, along with a personality that's both humorous and mysterious, keeping hockey fans engaged while on their feet at all times. 

The Czech-born forward has played 833 games in the NHL, ranking fifth all-time in goals (420), ninth in assists (513), and sixth in points (933). 

Pastrnak's playmaking and sniping abilities have kept him at the top of the NHL year after year, as last season was his fourth season surpassing 100 points, and he set a new career high of 71 assists. He only needs 39 goals to surpass Patrice Bergeron, and Phil Esposito ranking second in goals, and needs 67 points to hit 1,000 career points as a Bruin. 

2025 And Beyond

Pastrnak has gained the respect of the room, and Charlie McAvoy commented on his ability to take over leadership in a room that lacked a voice in 2025. 

He led by example. He led by being, from what I’ve gathered, more vocal than he’s normally been. He did everything he could have possibly done to help this team, and he did it, and it was a joy to watch every night,” McAvoy said of Pastrnak. I think he’s to be commended for the way that he handled himself post-deadline, at a time when we all were feeling a certain way, like everybody.

Well, he had a hockey game the next day, as well as another 15 or 20 after whatever it was, and he did exceptionally in all of them while being asked to do more than he’s had to do. So, yeah, I can’t say enough good things about what Pasta did for this team down the stretch.

The Bruins look to the horizon with David Pastrnak leading the team into TD Garden with a retooled lineup that has new faces that could emerge as superstars like himself in the future.