Money not issue
Marchand bears no mind to Pasta deal
BOLTON — Bruins restricted free agent forward David Pastrnak remains without a contract, and throughout the negotiations there has been speculation about potential jealousy if the fourth-year forward cashes in and winds up as the team’s highest-paid player.
Forward Brad Marchand, who is entering the first year of an eight-year contract that he signed last September for $6.125 million per season, shot down the envy theory yesterday before teeing off at the Bruins’ charity golf tournament at The International.
Pastrnak, whose 34 goals and 70 points were second to Marchand last season, did not attend the golf tournament.
“We all want to see each other be successful,” said Marchand. “He had a great year last year, so we’ll be very happy for him with whatever he ends up getting. The contract that he signs, Pasta’s going to make a lot of money, he’s a phenomenal player, he’s 21 years old, he’s going to have a long career. We all like to see each other be successful and do well and that’s the way the game goes.
“The league’s trending upwards and the contracts are getting higher and higher. You look around and some of the deals that were thrown out this summer for young guys, it wasn’t like that three or four years ago and that’s the way it is now. So again, we’re all very happy for one another, and whatever he gets is going to help other guys get more too. So that’s just the way it is.”
Marchand is third on the Bruins’ pay charts. David Krejci ($7.25 million) is the highest paid with Patrice Bergeron ($6.875 million) second. The Bruins originally offered Pastrnak $6 million per season. That offer looked low once Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl signed for eight years and $8.5 million annually.
As far as how the talks are going, general manager Don Sweeney said in Buffalo yesterday, “I’ll give you the same answer: We continue to talk every day, and we’re hopeful that we find a landing spot.”
Although he agreed to his current contract in advance of free agency, Marchand has been in Pastrnak’s place before. Coming off winning the Stanley Cup in 2011, he was a 23-year-old, restricted free agent coming out of his entry-level deal. He attended captains’ practices and the Bruins’ golf tournament, and then agreed to a two-year contract worth $2.5 million per season on the eve of training camp.
“Every situation is different. I wasn’t negotiating for what Pasta is negotiating for. It’s completely up to him,” Marchand said. “Hopefully it gets done. Pasta’s a great player, he will be for a long time and a big part of this team, obviously we want to see him around. We don’t want to see this hang over his head and over the team’s head, and we’d just love to see him back. I’m sure something will get done soon.”