Weaver, the second-winningest pitcher in franchise history with 1

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak has put up big numbers this season. His 18 goals through Monday are the most in the league behind only the Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby.Even bigger? Pastrnaks personality, both on and off the ice.Its infectious. The fans love it. His teammates feed off his energy.Hes been great all year long, said Pastrnaks linemate Brad Marchand. Hes is able to make something out of nothing and hes able to turn the game around in a single play.And the best part? Pastrnak is only 20 years old.The wingers personality has seemingly surfaced on a nightly basis for the Bruins this season -- and not just because an errant stick to the face in October took a chunk out of his front teeth and left him looking like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber.Case in point: As Boston battled the Florida Panthers in overtime on Monday, Bruins center David Krejci took control of the puck deep in the offensive zone. The Panthers were playing man-to-man defense during the 3-on-3 OT when Pastrnak purposely skated back into the neutral zone. He quickly cut back, leaving his stunned defender flat-footed. Krejci fed a quick pass to Pastrnak, who pumped in his second goal of the game for the winner.It was an uncanny move by Pastrnak, to create so much time and space. Not many players would deliberately take themselves out of the play before jumping back in with a game-changing, jaw-dropping move like he did -- and it generated the game-winning goal. Pastrnak admitted after the game that he had exited the zone on purpose.I saw Krech had a lot of time, so I wanted to pick up speed outside the zone, he said with a shrug. He said he saw me outside the zone, so he held onto it and he made a good play.After he scored, Pastrnak celebrated -- as he usually does -- by kissing his hand and pointing to the sky to honor his late father, Milan. ?When he was 15, Pastrnak left his parents and his native Czech Republic to play in Sweden. Because his goal was to play professional hockey in North America -- and ultimately, in the NHL -- Pastrnak decided it would help to learn English while he honed his skills on the ice.He became more fluent both on and off the ice during his second season in Sweden, but just four days before his 17th birthday, Milan -- who had coached Pastrnaks junior team -- died after a long illness. A little more than a year later, on June 27, 2014, the Bruins drafted Pastrnak in the first round (25th overall). As he walked up to the Wells Fargo Center stage in Philadelphia that night, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky.Pastrnak split time between the AHL and NHL during the 2014-15 season as an 18-year-old. He played only 46 games for the Bruins and quickly learned that finding his footing in the NHL wasnt going to be easy -- especially without his father to lean on. While with Bostons AHL affiliate in Providence, coach Bruce Cassidy and former NHLer?Jay Pandolfo?worked closely with him. Cassidy and Pandolfo are both now assistant coaches for the Bruins and have witnessed firsthand how Pastrnak has developed.Pando and Butch [Cassidy] did a great job when I was in Providence, Pastrnak said. Ive been around those guys for three years and theyve helped me work and get better every day. He credited Bruins assistant Joe Sacco and Bruins head coach Claude Julien as well.Theres this silly myth in the hockey world that Julien doesnt trust -- or like dealing with -- younger, inexperienced players. But Julien was a successful junior and AHL coach before moving to the NHL. And, during his 10-year tenure in the Bruins organization, he has helped develop players such as Pastrnak, Marchand, Krejci, Milan Lucic, Tuukka Rask and Torey Krug, just to name a few.While at times Julien limits his young players playing time, he believes its simply part of the learning curve and development process. That plan has clearly worked with Pastrnak.Hes been our best forward since the beginning of the year, Julien said. Hes coming into his own. [His confidence] is at its highest right now, and rightfully so.Managing the puck to reduce turnovers was one major thing Pastrnak needed to work on, but teaching that kind of discipline without stripping a player of his imaginative impulses can be a challenge.When a guy is creative like that, every once in a while the plays arent going to work and youre going to get those [turnovers], Julien said. But more often, hes making the great plays, so you work with that. Its more about him growing into the player everybody anticipated him to be.Pastrnak has a nose for the game. He wins puck battles. He controls the play and possession. He routinely uses his game-changing speed to catch defensemen off guard. And his ability to dominate one-on-one is a perfect example of his high-end skill.?I love him, said one Western Conference coach of Pastrnak. He has great offensive instincts. Hes a natural goal scorer with great release, and he gets his nose dirty. Hes got a little bite to him. And hes a perfect fit for Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.Pastrnak has also worked on his two-way game, and he has made strides there too, this season. He has become a dangerous, dynamic player who has made the Bruins a better team.?It helps that hes on a line with Bergeron and Marchand, who are considered among the best two-way players in the game.Its great to see how he has developed. Hes such a great kid, said Marchand of Pastrnak. Hes going to continue to grow, and hes going to be a great player for us.Pastrnak will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. Theres no doubt Boston needs to sign him to a long-term deal, but he might need to settle for a bridge deal to stay with the Bruins because of their salary-cap constraints.His goalie, for one, hopes he sticks around.Hes very creative, said Rask. Hes been a talent, a young talent, for several years and hes finally taken the last step and is kind of making a little name for himself. 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Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols and Mike Trout just completed their fifth season together in the heart of the Los Angeles Angels lineup. They still havent won a playoff game, and postseason success has never seemed farther away after the Angels worst season since 1999.Trout insisted the distance isnt as great as it appears after Los Angeles needed a September surge just to finish 74-88.Theres a lot of positive things we can take away from this year, said Trout, who got engaged and acquired a puppy during the season. It seemed like every other week, our lineup or our pitching staff took a big hit, but we played good for the last few weeks.Indeed, several key starting pitchers and three top relievers all missed large chunks of the Angels season with major injuries. Not many teams would have the depth to overcome so many losses, but in Orange County, they only highlighted the Angels painfully top-heavy payroll and alarmingly shallow development system.C.J. Wilson made $20 million without throwing a pitch due to shoulder problems, while opening day starter Garrett Richards missed the final five months with an injured elbow ligament. No. 2 starter Andrew Heaney and right-hander Andrew Tropeano probably wont return from Tommy John surgery until 2018. Matt Shoemakers recovery is likely but uncertain after a line drive to the head gave him a brain injury late in the season.Not even another MVP-caliber season from Trout prevented the Angels from sliding 11 games behind last seasons record and a whopping 24 games behind the 2014 team, which had the best record in baseball. Los Angeles had the worst season in manager Mike Scioscias 17 years.We know we need to get better, Scioscia said. Were really confident we will get better. There needs to be some talent added. We all recognize that, but I think the core in there is championship-caliber.Scioscia is expected to return for his 18th season as the longest-tenured manager in baseball, and he plans to keep his coaching staff intact. Owner Arte Moreno also remains publicly confident in first-year general manager Billy Epplers ability to rebuild the Angels foundation after departed GM Jerry Dipotos stormy tenure.Many of the Angels problems going forward are of Morenos making: They already have more than $100 million coommitted to just eight players next season -- and one of those is Josh Hamilton, the long-departed outfielder still being paid by Moreno for the final year of his embarrassing contract.ddddddddddddHere are more things to watch in the offseason:FREE MONEY: The Angels spent to the luxury tax limit this season with the majors seventh-largest payroll, but the huge salaries of pitchers Jered Weaver and Wilson come off the books this winter. Eppler and Moreno likely must spend at least part of that money on new starting pitching, but the Angels finally have options after essentially sitting out of the free-agent market last year.RICHARDS RECOVERY: The Angels rotation plans hinge on the health of Richards, who decided to rest his arm while receiving stem cell therapy in an attempt to avoid Tommy John surgery. He is headed to instructional league play this week, and if he beats the odds and comes back strong, the Angels will have one fewer question mark. If not, Los Angeles has trouble before 2017 even begins.DREAM WEAVER: The Angels havent announced whether they will re-sign Weaver, the second-winningest pitcher in franchise history with 150 wins over the last 11 years. Weaver, who learned to eat innings with control and guile after his velocity declined in recent years, hopes to stay with his only big-league club -- and hey, the Angels clearly need starting pitching.MAYBE MVP: Trout has a strong case for his second AL MVP award after another superlative statistical season, but the Angels ineptitude could cost him the crown. The center fielder led the majors with 123 runs and 116 walks while batting .315 with a .991 OPS, 29 homers, 100 RBI and 30 stolen bases.EX MACHINA: The 36-year-old Pujols has hit the halfway point of his lavish free-agent contract, but still has five years and $140 million remaining. He made big contributions for his money this season: His 119 RBI were fourth-most in the majors and his best since 2009, while he climbed to ninth on baseballs career list with 591 homers. Pujols pursuit of homer milestones should provide entertainment in 2017, but the Angels must pray his production numbers at least remain stable. ' ' '