Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Julien on Pastrnak: 'Made huge strides'

BOSTON -- As the Bruins prepare to host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, Boston will be without the services of rookie David Pastrnak, who was assigned Sunday to Providence of the AHL. The 18-year-old forward made his NHL debut and played a total of five games for the Bruins during his recent recall. He registered one assist.

Pastrnak was a healthy scratch for the Bruins’ 5-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. After Boston’s practice on Tuesday, coach Claude Julien was asked if he thought Pastrnak was ready for the NHL.

“If he was right now, we as a group would have kept him here,” Julien said. “I don’t think you’ve seen the last of him, either. From the start of the season until now, he’s made huge strides.”

Boston’s first-round pick (No. 25 overall) in last June’s NHL Entry Draft, Pastrnak was sent to Providence to improve his strength and his work in the dirty areas of the ice. During his brief stint in Boston, he was able to register 14 shots on net in five games, which was impressive, but most of those shots came from the outside.

Julien said that overall he was pleased with the small sample size he saw from Pastrnak’s game. The coach liked the rookie’s speed and creativity, too.

“We want to develop this young player the right way,” Julien said. “I can’t say enough about him being 18 and being able to play that way. He’s got a bright future -- no doubt. And his future should be here.”

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