Over the course of the twelve-year gap between Olympic appearances, the NHL has drastically evolved. Most of the legendary trios of the 2010's, namely Drew Doughty-Dustin Brown-Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings and Duncan Keith-Patrick Kane-Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks, have drifted apart in some form. Superstars Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, in addition to future stars Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard, got drafted into the league.
The Bruins bench emptied to celebrate the marker. Every player, including goaltender Jeremy Swayman at the other end of the ice, skated over to congratulate Pastrnak, similar to the mobbings Alex Ovechkin received for his more lofty milestones. The 29-year-old Czech right winger scored on a breakaway after Morgan Geekie bumped him the puck at center ice. Pastrnak deked and slid his shot past Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby to extend Boston's lead to 4-1 early in the second period.
The NHL Frozen Frenzy is like the best hockey buffet ever cooked up. There will be some popular main courses. There will be some delectable side dishes. But with all 32 teams in action from 6 p.m. ET puck drops through the Battle of California showdown between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks at 11 p.m. ET, fans will be able to sample all the NHL has to offer in one gluttonous sitting.
Speaking in February 2024, Pastrnak shared his frustration over not being able to participate in the 4 Nations Face-Off. "It's a huge disappointment," Pastrnak said at the time. "I don't know much I can say. Definitely not happy about it. I understand that it's a quick turnaround. It's next year. They probably didn't have much time to make it a bigger tournament. But Czech isn't there. So it's always a lot of players left out, so I'm not gonna watch the tournament, to be honest. So just happy that the Olympics got accepted. Yeah, [it] definitely stings a little bit."
