"Obviously I feel fine," the 26-year-old forward said Friday. "There's no rush. In the middle of the season, you're focusing on the hockey and everything. You don't really think about the contract situation. It's in the hands with your agent, management and [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney]. I'm just thinking about hockey and playing, honestly, so that's pretty much all I've been doing."
Pastrnak is coming to the end of a six-year, $40 million contract ($6.666 million average annual value), which he signed with Boston on Sept. 14, 2017. There have been reports that the Bruins and Pastrnak's agent, J.P. Barry, are getting closer to finding common ground on a new contract, but Pastrnak said he has not spoken recently with Barry about its status.
"J.P. and 'Donnie' talk every day," Pastrnak said. "I actually haven't talked to JP for a while because of the tough schedule we had, but I'm going to give him a call. I think he's here, so we're going to meet up. We'll see."
One of two All-Star players for the Bruins, along with goalie Linus Ullmark, Pastrnak was in high spirits, with a sunburned nose and one of his daring suits ahead of the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on Friday. Pastrnak participated in the Great Clips NHL Breakaway Challenge.
"[Like] I said, there's not much time to think. I was just playing and grinding, and now there's finally a little bit of relaxed time."
Pastrnak leads Boston with 72 points (38 goals, 34 assists) in 51 games. If he continues at his current pace, he could top 60 goals for the first time in his NHL career. His career high is 48, scored in 70 games in 2019-20. He scored 40 goals in 72 games last season. Pastrnak is second in the NHL this season in goals, behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (41).
"He's an extremely competitive, driven hockey player, and I think he just keeps getting better," said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, who is coaching the Atlantic Division in the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS). "Everybody around the team says he's better this year than he was three years ago and last year he was better than he was three years ago.
"So, he's a player that's driven by success and, with the success, he works at it. It's not just he rolls over the boards and it's natural; he has the natural ability, and he has the ability to work to get better."
