The goal total dipped, but David Pastrnak’s place among hockey’s elite barely moved.
The Boston Bruins winger is once again being treated as one of the safest high-end offensive players in the NHL entering 2026-27.
CBS Sports ranked Pastrnak No. 6 overall in its preseason fantasy hockey top 100, putting him directly behind a group the outlet described as a “Big Five.”
That group occupied the first five spots, and Pastrnak was the next player off the board. He also checked in as the second-highest right wing on the entire list.
For Boston, the ranking cements the idea that the potency of its offense still runs through the 30-year-old.
Pastrnak Lands No. 6 After Another 100-Point Season
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 23: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins takes a shot against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres defeat the Bruins 3-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Pastrnak’s placement comes after another season in which his production was remarkably steady, even with a noticeable change in how he piled up his points.
He finished the 2025-26 regular season with 29 goals and a career-high 71 assists for 100 points in 77 games. The 100-point mark gave Pastrnak four consecutive seasons in triple digits, extending a run that began with his 61-goal, 113-point campaign in 2022-23.
The Bruins announced in June that Pastrnak had been named to the NHL Second All-Star Team.
He ranked sixth in the league in assists and tied for seventh in points, as he led Boston in assists, points, points per game, even-strength points, power-play points and shots. He also averaged a career-high 20:39 of ice time per game.
Those numbers help explain why CBS didn’t push Pastrnak down the board after his goal total fell from 43 in 2024-25 to 29 last season. His playmaking climbed enough to keep him at 100 points, and his 1.30 points per game remained at cream-of-the-crop clip.
There’s also much financial security around his role. Pastrnak is playing under the eight-year, $90 million extension he signed with Boston in 2023, a deal carrying an $11.25 million annual cap hit through the 2030-31 season.
At this point, the Bruins know exactly who they are building around.
Bruins Still Lean Heavily on Pastrnak Entering 2026-27
GettyTAMPA, FL – APRIL 4: Charle-Edouard D’Astous #51 of the Tampa Bay Lightning defends against David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins during the first period at the Benchmark International Arena on April 4, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Boston’s rebound last season gave Pastrnak a better stage for that production.
The Bruins finished 45-27-10 with 100 points and returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card team after missing the postseason in 2024-25.
Their run ended in six games against Buffalo, but Pastrnak was again at the center of their offense.
He recorded three goals and four assists for seven points in the first round, the most on the team. His overtime winner in Game 5 extended the series, and he scored Boston’s only goal in the 4-1 Game 6 loss that ended the Bruins’ season.
The Bruins’ season review highlighted the same seven-point playoff total after his 100-point regular season.
Fantasy value is the frame, but Pastrnak’s spot at No. 6 reflects the same truth Boston has been living with for several years. And that truth is few players display his combination of consistency and offensive responsibility.
Pastrnak has reached 100 points in four straight seasons despite the Bruins going through significant roster turnover around him. His scoring touch has already produced a 60-goal season, and last year showed he can still reach the century mark when his assists do more of the work.
Even though CBS left five names ahead of him entering 2026-27, the Bruins’ franchise winger sitting immediately behind that group is quite the place to be.
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