Short-Handed Bruins Brace for Busy December with Key Players Still Out
Photo: Bostonbruinsfan22 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Written by Alexis Crochiere
Bruins star forward and alternate captain David Pastrnak has been sidelined due to an undisclosed injury since Nov. 26, leaving Boston short one of its elite right wings and top offensive threats.
Pastrnak has missed the last four games, with the team posting a 2-2 record since. A loss to the New York Rangers was followed by a back-and-forth battle with the Detroit Red Wings that ended in both a shootout win and a regulation loss.
The Bruins beat the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 4, looking stronger than in their recent outings, but there remains no update on Pastrnak’s return timeline.
After missing another game against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden on Dec. 6, the Bruins will most likely be facing a three-game road trip without the Czech winger.
Thursday morning, Boston play-by-play announcer Judd Sirott gave an update on Pastrnak during his appearance on WEEI.
“It’s totally unknown,” Sirott said. “My guess is—if he doesn’t go on the trip, and hopefully he does—that he skates here in Brighton while the team is on the road so he’s ready when they return, especially because you’ve got a couple of big divisional games.”
In late December, shortly after the club returns home, the Bruins have games against three divisional teams back-to-back, including the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres. With an eight-point difference between the first and last slots in the Atlantic Division, every win is crucial.
Pastrnak holds the second-most points for the Bruins this season with 11 goals and 18 assists, trailing behind fellow forward Morgan Geekie. Geekie has stepped up significantly this season, holding down the fort while alternate captains and key players like Pastrnak and defenseman Charlie McAvoy remain on injured reserve.
Geekie has been in a scoring race with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in goals since November. The center has scored 21 goals and added 10 assists.
With the possibility of a Pastrnak-less roster for the coming games, players like Geekie and Pavel Zacha may have to keep the scoreboard active and the Bruins afloat.
McAvoy has been out without a return date announced since Nov. 15, after taking a slapshot to the face that caused a fractured jaw and several lost bottom teeth. He underwent facial surgery and has stated he is “healing really good,” according to an NHL update from Dec. 5. The Bruins are undoubtedly at a loss with McAvoy, who averages nearly 24 minutes per game and has recorded 14 assists in his 19-game season. With his recovery reportedly progressing, a timeline for his return could be approaching.
Without Pastrnak or McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm’s jersey is the only black-and-gold number donned with an A for alternate captain. The Bruins are one of two NHL teams, alongside the San Jose Sharks, without a declared captain since the Brad Marchand trade prior to the 2024–25 season deadline.
McAvoy was on and off the IR list last spring, but when both alternate captains return to full health, discussions of captaincy could resurface.
When longtime Bruin Patrice Bergeron retired after the 2022–23 season, the top candidates to take the C were Marchand, Pastrnak, and McAvoy. With the title vacant once more, a fully healthy roster could prompt renewed consideration for naming a captain.
Though the next Bruins captain remains a question mark and likely a postseason decision, the Boston roster is being given a unique opportunity to prove its NHL readiness and fill the roles of Pastrnak and McAvoy.
What could be viewed as a hole in the roster could also be an opportunity for increased playing time for depth players. With a full schedule ahead in December, a high-performing lineup is exactly what Boston needs.
