Boston Bruins name David Pastrňák captain ahead of 2026-27 season

David Pastrňák takes over as Boston Bruins captain

The Boston Bruins have named David Pastrňák the 28th captain in franchise history, placing their leading offensive star at the center of the club’s leadership group ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.

The announcement was made on September 27, 2026, just days before Boston begins its regular-season schedule. Pastrňák succeeds Brad Marchand, who served as captain from 2023 until his trade to the Florida Panthers in March 2025.

Boston played the entire 2025-26 season without a designated captain, instead relying on a leadership group that included Pastrňák, Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. The appointment now gives the Bruins a permanent captain as they begin a new season.

A record-setting Bruins scorer

Pastrňák enters the captaincy after another standout campaign. In 77 games during the 2025-26 season, he recorded 29 goals and a career-high 71 assists for 100 points, his fourth consecutive 100-point season. He ranked sixth in the NHL in assists and tied for seventh in points, while leading Boston in assists, points, points per game, even-strength points, power-play points and shots.

He also reached several career milestones during the season, including his 800th NHL game, 400th goal and 500th assist. On January 10, 2026, he produced a career-high six-point performance that tied a Bruins franchise record for assists in one game.

Across 833 career games, all with Boston, Pastrňák has registered 420 goals and 513 assists for 933 points, along with a plus-145 rating. He ranks among the franchise’s top 10 in goals, assists, points and points per game.

A long-term commitment from Boston

The 30-year-old forward is entering the captaincy while under an eight-year, $90 million contract. The deal includes a $26.5 million signing bonus, guarantees the full value and carries an average annual salary of $11.25 million.

Selected 25th overall by Boston in the 2014 NHL Draft, Pastrňák quickly developed into one of the league’s premier scorers. He won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy after scoring 48 goals in the shortened 2019-20 season, sharing the honor with Alex Ovechkin. He has also earned NHL First All-Star Team honors in 2020 and 2023, followed by Second All-Star Team selections in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Pastrňák joins a distinguished list of Bruins captains that includes 16 Hockey Hall of Famers and nine players whose numbers have been retired by the organization. Patrice Bergeron is scheduled to become the 10th former Bruins captain to receive that honor when Boston retires his No. 37 in December.