Bruins’ David Pastrnak Makes Surprising Admission About Playoffs

The Bruins played a thrilling postseason run that ended in the second round, and David Pastrnak had an interesting look back on last season.

Boston avoided a repeat of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs when it beat Toronto in Game 7 after the Maple Leafs erased a 3-1 series deficit and evened the set. Pastrnak scored the game-winner in overtime for a walk-off series finish, and the moment was much more cathartic for the star forward than just a signature playoff moment.

“We proved a lot of people wrong, last year we were not even supposed to make the playoffs. We beat a better team (Toronto) on paper,” Pastrnak said during NHL/NHLPA European Media Tour, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The Maple Leafs certainly had one of the best players in the game: Auston Matthews. Max Domi and William Nylander are top-scoring threats. But it was interesting for Pastrnak to openly admit that Toronto was better than the Bruins on paper. The 28-year-old also wished the B’s got into a “one-shot Game 7” with Florida, but Boston wasn’t able to force that matchup.

Pastrnak’s goal remains the same: win a Stanley Cup with the Bruins. And Boston’s new additions in free agency could help the club with the matchup battle in next season’s Stanley Cup playoffs.