Pastrnak Headed Home To Play For Czechia At Worlds

Through six games in the tournament that began on May 10, Czechia (4-1-1-0) was atop Group A on Sunday with 15 points. The Czechs led Canada (4-1-0-0) and Switzerland (4-1-0-0), tied with 14 points, for the top spot. Sweden (5-0-0-0) led Group B with 15 points.

Pastrnak is expected to make his debut at the 2024 IIHF World Championships on Tuesday when Czechia plays Canada at 10:20 a.m. ET. The Game can be viewed on NHL Network.

Pastrnak has played for Czechia in the World Championships three times before. He has 12 goals and 11 assists in 20 games played for his native country at the tournament. His best performance came when he scored seven goals and three assists in seven games played in 2022.

David Pastrnak had another brilliant season for the Boston Bruins. After a 61-goal and 113-point campaign in the 2022-23 regular season, the 27-year-old Bruins alternate captain scored 49 goals and had 110 points in another 82-game season in 2023-24. The 6-foot, 196-pound winger followed that up with four goals and four assists in 13 games during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After scoring three goals – including the Game 7 overtime winner – to go with two assists in seven games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pastrnak scored just two goals and had three assists in six games against the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak did not register a point in the final two games of the six-game series loss to the Panthers.

Pastrnak just finished the first season of an eight-year, $90-million contract that carries an $11.25 million salary cap hit.