As training camp looms, Bruins still don’t have David Pastrnak aboard
BOLTON — The Bruins gathered for their annual charity golf tournament Monday at The International. They hope their bags are cobwebbed over the next time they reach for their clubs.
“Today’s usually the unofficial start of training camp,’’ Patrice Bergeron said. “We’re all happy to be here and excited to get things going. Some of the rookies are still in Buffalo right now, but all of us here, we’re excited to join forces and be ready for Day 1.’’
How long they delay their future tee times partly depends on the presence of a player who did not approach the first hole. David Pastrnak was nowhere in sight Monday, his short-term future as murky as the algae-choked water hazards his teammates were shooting around.
The NHL is a deadline league. Thursday, when the players open camp with physicals, represents a critical date. There is urgency on both sides to put pen to paper by then. But to this point, that looming checkpoint has not initiated enough progress to produce a handshake.
“Maybe not for the start of training camp, because it’s kind of getting down to the wire,’’ Bergeron said of welcoming back one of his regular linemates. “But yeah, I am [optimistic]. I’m hoping they can come to an agreement. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. That being said, we’ll see what happens.’’
In such disagreements, there is no black and white. The truth is in the middle, where compromises take place.
Perhaps the Bruins will acknowledge that paying Pastrnak a higher average annual value than David Krejci ($7.25 million) does not stand for a loss. Maybe Pastrnak will understand that rubbing financial elbows with $8.5 million man Leon Draisaitl is not a priority.
To this point, neither side has stepped off the hills where they’ve planted their flags. If this difference of opinion continues into camp, there will be no winner when Pastrnak ultimately signs his contract. In such disputes, there are only losers — the player missing critical break-in time, the organization missing its most gifted finisher.
“Most guys, if they miss time, they’re playing a little bit of catch-up,’’ said coach Bruce Cassidy. “How much catch-up? Again, that’s speculation. How far behind is speculation.
“But there is, generally, a bit of a catch-up period. Let’s face it: For our sake and his sake, let’s hope it’s very little, if any.’’
Torey Krug knows this better than most. In 2014-15, Krug did not sign until Sept. 29. By then, the Bruins had already played four preseason games. Krug was behind.
“You’re missing practices. You’re missing a couple games,’’ Krug said. “To miss those things, the shift by shift, the competition, going and actually hitting somebody on another team, getting hit by another guy, nothing replicates that. He’ll find that out when the time comes. Hopefully he doesn’t have to.’’
In February, Cassidy made the best out of a bad situation. He helped settle the post-Claude Julien churn and coached the Bruins into the playoffs.
Cassidy expected a clean slate to begin his first full season as Bruins coach. Now he’s thinking about secondary options for Krejci’s right wing. It is a chore he didn’t deserve.
For all the challenges the league represents, the act of putting pucks in nets is its trickiest. Cassidy could drop the flag on camp with no sense of when his 34-goal triggerman will be doing his grinning, dangling, and shooting thing.
The effect trickles from the coach’s office to the dressing room. As much as the Bruins would like to incorporate youth, there are more yesterdays than tomorrows among their leadership group: Zdeno Chara (40), David Backes (33), Bergeron (32), and Krejci (31).
Chara is entering the last year of his deal. He is fighting off his hockey mortality. It is unknown whether Boston is in the captain’s future. If this is Chara’s final Black-and-Gold race, he would prefer to toe the line with a full contingent of reinforcements instead of missing a critical support man.
“I’m sure both sides would like to reach an agreement sooner than later,’’ Chara said. “I believe there will be. As far as when, no idea.’’
Depending on his coaches’ decisions, Chara will have good options on his right side, whether that’s Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo. Krejci may not have such luck.
Part of Krejci’s past success was being familiar with his wingmen. Milan Lucic regularly manned his left flank. Musclemen Nathan Horton and Jarome Iginla watched his right side. Krejci felt comfortable with widebodies clearing out space and tapping their blades on the ice to reel in his dishes. If you do not believe familiarity helps a center, ask Bergeron how he would like life without Brad Marchand at his side.
Pastrnak does not share his predecessors’ biceps. But the game-breaking right wing was a good running mate for Krejci. The No. 2 center believed that he’d have a partner in his fellow Czech Republic homeboy. That alliance is now suspect because of Pastrnak’s undetermined arrival date.
General manager Don Sweeney’s job is to field the most competitive team at the lowest price. Agent J.P. Barry’s job is to maximize his client’s earnings. Given such perspectives, disagreement is a natural occurrence. But the consequences sometimes cost everybody involved.
