BOSTON — The Boston Bruins have signed forward David Pastrnak to an eight-year contract extension that will pay him $90 million – the sixth-largest deal in NHL history.
The deal locks up one of the league’s MVP candidates through the 2030-31 season for $11.25 million a season. He had been eligible to become a free agent after this season.
Pastrnak, 26, is second in the league this season with 42 goals, adding 38 assists while leading Boston to the best record in the NHL. He has spent all of his nine NHL seasons with the Bruins, totaling 282 goals and 302 assists in his career.
Tthe Bruins also acquired forward Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday in exchange for a 2024 first-round draft choice and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
The first-round choice is top-10 protected. Detroit will also retain 50% of Bertuzzi’s $4.75 million cap hit in the deal.
Bertuzzi has four goals and 14 points in 29 games for the Red Wings this season and has been one of the club’s top offensive pieces in recent seasons. The 28-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and was rumored to be on the trade block, until Detroit began improving on the ice through February.
Through 60 games, the Bruins have skated to a 47-8-5 record, good for 99 points and an .825 points percentage. The 47 wins are seven better than the next closest team, the New Jersey Devils, and their 99 points are 13 better than the Carolina Hurricanes who have 86 so far this season.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report
