Bruins after dark

With Brad Marchand gone and the Boston Bruins searching for leadership, players are pushing for David Pastrnak to step up as the next captain.

The Boston Bruins were rocked at this year’s NHL Trade Deadline when longtime captain Brad Marchand was traded away. It didn’t end there — in just one afternoon, Don Sweeney gutted most of Boston’s leadership core, also dealing Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo.

Now, with no official captain left standing, the team is looking for someone to grab the wheel — and by the sound of it, David Pastrnak is already doing just that.

While some wondered if Charlie McAvoy might wear the ‘C’, his injury history has raised real concerns about dependability.

That’s opened the door wide for Pastrnak, who’s been carrying the load both on the ice and in the room.

Newcomer Nikita Zadorov couldn’t have been clearer about who’s leading the charge.

Yeah, no, he’s been awesome. I mean, he’s a really vocal guy. He’s really passionate, he cares, you know, Zadorov said.

And that’s what you want to see from the guys like that. When you go on the ice, you go to battle with him; you know he’s going to die for you. He’s a big part of this team, and he’s a big part of the future.

Charlie McAvoy gives Pastrnak a huge endorsement 

Even McAvoy — someone seen by many as a frontrunner for captaincy — is pointing squarely at Pastrnak as the guy.

I thought David [Pastrnak] was the best player in the NHL down the stretch—he was incredible,

McAvoy said.

He led by example.

He led by being, from what I’ve gathered, more vocal than he’s normally been.

He did everything he could have possibly done to help this team, and he did it, and it was a joy to watch every night.

I think he’s to be commended for the way that he handled himself post-deadline.

So, yeah, I can’t say enough good things about what Pasta did for this team down the stretch.

Pastrnak ready to carry the Bruins into a new era 

Pastrnak, who came up during the days of Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, knows exactly what wearing the ‘C’ in Boston means.

And by all accounts, he’s ready to own it.

I’m confident enough to be one of the leaders and lead the team, Pastrnak said.

And moving forward, we still have a good (core).

We obviously have a lot of work to do ahead, and we will put the time together and make sure we become and be a much, much better Boston Bruins team this year.

The Bruins have seen what happens when leadership leaves the room.

This time, they might not need to look very far to find their next captain. All signs — and all voices inside the locker room — are pointing straight at Pasta.

It’s not often you hear a fellow star player openly pass the baton like that — and it speaks volumes about what’s happening behind closed doors.