Bruins Prospect David Pastrnak's Shoulder Injury Suggests He's Not Yet NHL-Ready

The precautionary portion of Boston Bruins prospect David Pastrnak’s otherwise radiant portfolio wasted next to no time breaking out. The franchise’s latest first-round draft pick mustered a full day’s worth of practice but has been out of commission since leaving Saturday’s session.

Per an NHL.com staff report that afternoon, head coach Claude Julien told the assembled reporters that the Czech winger “tweaked his shoulder.”

Hardly an alarming report in most senses. That is unless you are among the Bruins buffs who are fervently rooting for Pastrnak to crack the roster without delay.

Next season? Sure. But considering the timing and details of the injurious incident, it is plainly best not to rush him.

In his account of Saturday’s practice, Dan Cagen of the Milford Daily News observed that “The injury appeared to occur when Pastrnak was checked into the boards by defenseman Matt Bartkowski.” Several other sources offered the same basic interpretation.

DJ Bean of WEEI.com reported Monday afternoon that Pastrnak missed practice once more after expectedly missing Sunday’s intrasquad game. That would suggest he will not be ready Boston’s first extramural tune-up in Montreal on Tuesday and maybe not for Wednesday’s home tilt with Washington.

Granted, there is no mistaking this setback for the long-term ailments that afflicted the likes of Chris Kelly, Adam McQuaid and Dennis Seidenberg last winter. General manager Peter Chiarelli did tell the press that Pastrnak is “day-to-day” after Sunday’s contest in Providence, Rhode Island.

Even so, the Bruins brass should take the nature of the injury and how it happened into consideration for everyone’s sake.

For the record, Bartkowski has 29 pounds, eight years of existence and four years of North American professional playing experience on Pastrnak. The freak ailment fell in the second day of on-ice interaction between the aspiring rookies and established NHLers.

With that, fate has pumped the brakes on the buildup that came with Pastrnak’s performances within his own age/experience group. As recently as last Tuesday, NESN.com’s Zack Cox was quoting Julien on the prodigy’s jutting flair in the Nashville rookie tournament.

But Cox’s write-up went on to quote Julien as adding the following caveat:

"

The test he has to pass is, ‘can he play at this level?’ I think he’s got the speed, he’s got the skill. Does he have the strength and does he have the experience to overcome the challenges he’s going to be facing? We won’t know that until training camp starts. It’s something that we’ll have to keep a close eye on.

"

There is always an element of precariousness in basing any evaluation on a paltry sample size. Then again, Pastrnak’s sample size of formal practices with the Bruins' incumbents would already be twice as expansive if not for his injury.

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

From his June 27 selection onward, his 167-pound frame and lack of North American familiarity looked to be his two topmost roadblocks. Neither factor was likely to let up in time for him to cement a 2014-15 roster spot in October.

The Hockey News takes no C-cuts around that issue when it sums up the "flaws" in his scouting report, saying that he "Needs to get physically stronger, because he's not big but attracts a lot of attention from opponents. Therefore, he must be able to play through the tight checking of the pro game."

Misfortune doubtlessly had a role in the injurious effects of the Bartkowski collision. But odds are a player with more brawn would have brooked less physical impact from the same hit.

More to the point, more contact of that caliber will be waiting in practices and games alike whenever Pastrnak does embark on a regular season with Boston. Like THN says, he will be a magnet for buckled-down defensive coverage because of the threat he poses to the scoreboard.

This is not to say that this marks the be-all and end-all of Pastrnak’s first preseason. Assuming he is cleared for action before the exhibition slate ends, he should garner some experience engaging NHL players under the bright lights of NHL mansions.

If nothing else, he should still have a chance to map out a foundation in the coming weeks.

But whatever he might do with that opportunity will do too little to alleviate concerns of additional occurrences like Saturday's. He is simply better off honing his game for another year in Sweden and building more size and strength along the way.

Besides the obvious importance of lifelong well-being, the last thing the Bruins want in their prized prospect is a shaken psyche. Last weekend’s hit will not precipitate that all on its own, but a multitude of similar happenings over the next year could.

One could argue that Pastrnak has little left to prove overseas with his pure rush and release. But he only turned 18 four months ago and is easily the lightest player on Boston’s training camp roster.

Pastrnak’s first impression in formal skates with the Bruins reinforces the notion that off-ice work is his topmost need. He can easily pursue that in 2014-15 while following a Swedish league itinerary that is naturally less intensive than a six-and-a-half-month, 82-game NHL schedule.

Continuing to play against more mature though less skilled opponents will only do so much to prepare him for full-fledged NHL competition. But working on his physical prowess off the ice and his instincts on it will do plenty more to that effect.

Depending on how the Bruins' season and the Swedish league season unfold, the former club should still be open to bringing Pastrnak back stateside in the late phases of 2014-15. If possible, that arrangement would provide a harmless gauge as to his progress.

But before he becomes a regular on the regular-season roster, he must establish greater assurance that he can absorb daily doses of NHL-caliber punishment. There is no cause to expect Pastrnak to accomplish that with his current build and allotment of practice and game action in the 2014 preseason.

Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics for this report were found via NHL.com