David Krejci Is the Playmaker the Bruins Have Missed

NBC Sports

The Boston Bruins won 51 games in 2021-22 and accumulated 107 points for only the 13th time in franchise history. The season ended with a Game 7 loss in Carolina in a hard-fought series where the home team won each game. The Bruins power play struggled, and scoring, particularly in five-on-five play, was inconsistent. Jake DeBrusk provided some offense on the top line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. David Pastrnak was moved to the second line centered by Erik Haula, who performed admirably in that role. But one glaring need for Boston was a good playmaking center, which was missing after David Krejci’s departure, who went home to play in Czechia in the off-season.

Fast forward to the beginning of the 2022-23 season, and Haula has been traded to New Jersey for young center Pavel Zacha. But more importantly, the silky mitts of Krejci have returned to Boston, giving the Bruins something they sorely missed last season, a true playmaking center. The Sternbeck, Czechoslovakia native, has played 962 career NHL regular season games, all with Boston. Krejci is ninth all-time in points in team history and seventh in assists with 515. If healthy, the former second-round pick will be fifth in games played for the Bruins and will go down as one of the team’s great postseason performers.

What the Bruins missed without Krejci last season was his ability to see plays develop and find goal scorers in position to put the puck in the net. The 36-year-old pivot has had his share of wingers over the years and, except for Nathan Horton and Jarome Iginla, has been without a high-quality right wing. David Pastrnak, a fellow Czech, will begin the season with Krejci after not having much time together with Boston over the years. In the World Championships this past summer, the duo saw what might be this season in the NHL. Krejci mentioned after leaving Boston before last season that he wanted to play with Pastrnak, but former head coach Bruce Cassidy was reluctant to break up the “Perfection Line.”

Now, with new head coach Jim Montgomery at the helm and DeBrusk comfortable playing his off-wing on the top line, the opportunity has arrived for Pastrnak and Krejci to use their chemistry to give Boston two formidable top lines. Fellow Czech Zacha will be the left wing on that line, which dominated play in the most recent preseason game against the New York Rangers.

Boston’s power play last season struggled as the year went on, and Krejci should help Montgomery find ways to solve it. In 2020-21, Krejci was added to the first power play unit late in the season, and it instantly paid dividends. As this season begins, look for Krejci to quarterback the power play as Montgomery uses four and, at times, five forwards on the man advantage.

The Bruins will have to begin the season without leading scorer Marchand, but the return of Krejci should help the Bruins get off to a good start and fill a huge void Boston had last season, an elite playmaking center.

Season 4. Episode 28. A Major Announcement Bruins Benders Podcast

 Join the Bruins Benders Podcast as they cover the HOTTEST topics in the Boston Bruins market, along with…- A Major Announcement- Mitch Marner Rumors?- End of Season Award Predictions- Are the Kids Alright?& Much More!Bruins Benders Premium Hoodies $55https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/get-bent-premium-hoodieBruins Benders Long Sleeve Tee $40https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/bruins-benders-long-sleeve-tee-1Bruins Benders Tee $30https://shop.insidetherink.com/products/bruins-benders-t-shirt-1For more from us, visit: insidetherink.com/bruins-bendersBoston Bruins Trade Rumors, Boston Bruins News, Boston Bruins, Jeremy Swayman, Joonas Korpisalo, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Nikita Zadorov, Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei, Andrew Peeke, Parker Wotherspoon, Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic, Justin Brazeau, Cole Koepke, Trent Frederic, Matthew Poitras, Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, Oliver Wahlstrom, Fabian Lysell, Georgii Merkulov, Joe Sacco, Don Sweeney, Cam Neely, Brandon Carlo Trade#nhl #nhlbruins #hockey #bostonbruins #nhlplayoffs #bruins #nhlhockey #nhlmemes #boston #nhlallstar #nhldiscussion #nhlnews #nhledits #nhldraft #bruinsnation #nhlawards #nhltrade #hockeylife #tdgarden #nhlhighlights #bostonsports #bruinshockey #bruinsfan #nhlblackhawks #nhlglobalseries #nhlfi #nhlleafs #nhltrades #nhltradedeadline #nhlcanadiens #nhl #nhlnews #hockey #nhlhockey #nhlplayoffs #nhledits #nhldiscussion #nhlmemes #nhldraft #nhlallstar #hockeylife #hockeynews #hockeymemes #nhlhighlights #icehockey #sports #hockeyislife #nhlbruins #hockeyplayers #hockeyfan #hockeyplayer #hockeyedits #stanleycup #nhlawards #hockeygame #hockeyboys #hockeygram #hockeyfights #nhltrade #nhltrades 
  1. Season 4. Episode 28. A Major Announcement
  2. Season 4. Episode 27. Losing, It's Called Bruins.
  3. Season 4. Episode 26. Is Swayman a Diva?
  4. Season 4. Episode 25. It's Not a Retool
  5. Season 4. Episode 24. Franchise Altering Deadline

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Pittsburgh Penguins

Rust’s Double Downs Capitals In Pens’ Season Finale

The conclusive blare of the final horn resonated through PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night, bringing the curtain down on a season of unfulfilled promise for the playoff-less Penguins, who nonetheless delivered a parting shot by defeating their rivals, the Washington Capitals, 5-2. While this victory offered a momentary high for the Penguins, its true […]

Read More

2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues Series Preview

One more sleep and the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues battle it out for the first time since 2019 in the postseason. Both teams have a close head-to-head rivalry since the 1999-2000 season, but have only met once in the playoffs. A throwback to the clash in 2019 has shades of the past after […]

Read More

The Connor McDavid Lottery, 10 Years Later

When you have a job writing about the Edmonton Oilers, it’s hard not to type out his name at least once in every article. April 18th, 2015, the 9th year in our team’s Decade of Darkness had just come to a close, finishing 3rd last league-wide. Connor McDavid was the projected top prospect in that year’s […]

Read More