What We Waited For: David Pastrnak’s heartwarming take on finally playing with Leon Draisaitl

Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak failed to win at the NHL All-Star Game, as Team Matthews won the tournament. However, his experience with Team McDavid is still one he will cherish. This tournament allowed Boston’s star winger to play with close friend and Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl.

The Bruins star opened up about the situation after the event. He mentioned the two have skated together a lot, even though Draisaitl doesn’t come to Pastrnak’s native Czechia as often anymore.

“When we were signing our (NHL) contracts, I remember that summer we spent a lot of time together because he was there quite a bit in Czech, so we’re close friends and it was fun to finally play with him,” the Bruins star said, via NHL.com.

Bruins’ David Pastrnak raves about Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl

Pastrnak and Draisaitl both entered the NHL in the same year. Boston selected Pastrnak 25th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. Meanwhile, the Oilers made Draisaitl, a native of Germany, the third-overall pick in that very same draft.

On Saturday, Pastrnak raved about his friend, saying he enjoyed playing with the German superstar. “He’s a great guy. Obviously, we are very similar, and it was finally nice to see him around the locker room a little bit more and play with him on a line,” Pastrnak said, via NHL.com.

The Bruins star told reporters that he hopes he can continue to work with Draisaitl during the offseason. “I definitely enjoyed it, and I told him I wish he would come to Prague more often so we can train and skate together.”

David Pastrnak and Leon Draisaitl played on a line with Oilers star Connor McDavid during the event. McDavid and Pastrnak picked up assists in the semifinal, while Draisaitl had two. In the final, Draisaitl and Pastrnak both scored in the loss.

With the NHL All-Star Game over, both players return to their teams. Pastrnak and Draisaitl will now look to bring their teams to the Stanley Cup Final in June. These two friends playing each other for hockey’s biggest prize would be must-watch hockey, no matter the team you support.