Boston Bruins star forward David Pastrnak scored his 400th career goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, and he received a salute from his team that surprised both Pastrnak and many fans across the league.
The Bruins bench emptied to celebrate the marker. Every player, including goaltender Jeremy Swayman at the other end of the ice, skated over to congratulate Pastrnak, similar to the mobbings Alex Ovechkin received for his more lofty milestones.
The 29-year-old Czech right winger scored on a breakaway after Morgan Geekie bumped him the puck at center ice. Pastrnak deked and slid his shot past Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby to extend Boston’s lead to 4-1 early in the second period.
The celebration for Pasta’s milestone tally was odd, given that players are usually honored with bench-clearing salutes for major career milestones like a 500th career goal or 1,000th point. The celebration also requires advance permission from the NHL to avoid a too many men penalty.
“I didn’t even know it was allowed, honestly, for 400 goals,” Pastrnak told reporters of the celebration post-game. “I was worried we’re gonna get a penalty.”
Ovechkin’s teammates were have been given such permission to honor The Great 8 at goal 500 and beyond.
Goal no. 500 in 2016
Goal no. 700 in 2020
Goal no. 800 in 2023
Goal no. 802 in 2023
Goal no. 894 in 2025
Goal no. 895 in 2025
Goal no. 900 in 2025
No other player in recent memory had their 400th career goal celebrated with a bench-clearing. Not Auston Matthews just last season, not Brad Marchand in 2024, nor Ovechkin in 2013.
Other notable bench-clearing celebrations have occurred for Patrick Kane’s 1,000th point in 2020 with the Chicago Blackhawks and when Henrik Sedin reached the same milestone with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017.
Pastrnak scored again in the third period to wrap up Boston’s 5-3 victory on Tuesday and now sits just 144 goals away from the franchise record currently held by Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk (545). He became the seventh-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the 400 goal plateau (774 games). The only other active player who did it faster was Ovechkin (634 games).
After the game, the Bruins showered Pastrnak with their water bottles in the locker room similar to the beer bath salutes Ovechkin received from the Capitals for his 800th, 894th, 895th, and 900th career goals.
Maybe a bit over-the-top, no?
