David Pastrnak has Boston Bruins fans dreaming, but the NHL trade deadline reality check is coming fast.

The Bruins return from a 22-day Olympic break Thursday with Columbus at TD Garden, and the standings pressure is real.

After Washington beat Philadelphia 3-1 Wednesday, Boston sits two points up on the Capitals for the final wild card spot, with the Blue Jackets four back.

That's the messy middle, and it matters because Don Sweeney's next four games can steer everything.

In January, Sweeney reportedly pushed hard for Calgary's Rasmus Andersson, but “talks with an extension fell apart.”

Now the loudest prediction is not a splash, it's restraint.

Adam Gretz named Boston as “Hold, Lean Toward Buy,” which sounds boring until you read the reasoning.

“The Bruins are one of the teams on the Eastern Conference playoff bubble, and they have some pretty significant issues that could stand to be addressed. The biggest of those issues, from a big picture perspective, is they are just too inconsistent to fully trust this season. When it comes to personnel issues, they are still lacking a No. 1 center, could use some additional scoring depth, and need to upgrade their defense. So, in other words … a lot,''

David Pastrnak keeps Boston Bruins in it

Bruins fans want a heater so badly right now, but most of us also feel that familiar knot in the stomach when the games tighten up.

Gretz's bluntest line hits because it matches the eye test: “they are just too inconsistent to fully trust this season.''

That inconsistency shows up shift to shift, not just game to game.

One night the forecheck hums and the man advantage looks dangerous.

The next night, exits are messy and the puck lives in Boston's end.

So what's the smart play for Sweeney?

Buy, but only if it's the right player with term, not a rental that screams “all-in.”

The Bruins' biggest hole stays the same, a real No. 1 center who can drive a top-six line.

And if the blue line needs an upgrade, it needs one that fits beyond March.

A blockbuster to win this year feels like wishcasting, not planning.

The next seven days will tell the story, but don't expect anything earth-shattering for a team still ahead of schedule in its retool.