David Pastrnak Named Bruins' Captain in Hype Video, 'The Legacy Continues' for 2026 NHL Season

The Boston Bruins have officially named a successor to former team captain Brad Marchand.

David Pastrňák will serve as captain ahead of the 2026-27 season, the Bruins announced Sunday.

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The Bruins captaincy was most recently held by Marchand, who spent two seasons in the position before he was traded to the Florida Panthers during the 2024-25 season.

The longest-tenured player in Boston, Pastrňák also played along the two preceding Bruins captains in Zdeno Chára and Patrice Bergeron.

Pastrňák most recently served as alternate captain for the Bruins last season alongside four other players including star defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

The former Rocket Richard Trophy winner will now don the 'C' ahead of his 13th campaign with the Bruins.

Selected in the first round of the 2014 draft, Pastrňák has spent the last decade as one of the NHL's most productive players.

Only Alex Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl and Auston Matthews have racked up more goals since 2014 than the 420 tallies Pastrňák has scored for the Bruins.

Pastrňák remained an offensive force for the Bruins last season, during which he recorded his fourth straight 100-point campaign despite missing time due to injury.

Those offensive contributions haven't been enough to keep the Bruins contending for their first Stanley Cup since 2011.

The Bruins haven't been past the second round since losing the 2019 Cup Final, and the team fell short of the 2025 postseason altogether in Jim Montgomery's final season as head coach.

Boston made it back to the playoffs last spring under new coach Marco Sturm only to be bounced from the first round by the Buffalo Sabres.

Pastrňák will now tasked with remaining a top producer for the Bruins while helping his team contend with resurgent Atlantic Division teams including the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.