Boston Bruins: Injured Players Travel To Montreal

Boston Bruins: Injured Players Travel To Montreal Ahead of Game On Tuesday

David Krejci and David Pastrnak have both returned to practice for the Boston Bruins.

David Krejci has suffered injuries in his career, but the cause of this injury was far different than anything he’d ever experienced before. Krejci collided with Ottawa Senators’ forward Bobby Ryan on a play that looked innocent, but clearly resulted in Krejci missing the Bruins last nine games.

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“I’ve never had this kind of injury before,” said Krejci. “It was kind of an innocent play. I remember that play. I saw it on replay and it looked like nothing, so I guess it’s just one of those things. It happened in the second period as well so the body was already warmed up.”

Without David Krejci in the lineup over the last nine games, the Bruins have compiled a 4-4-1 record including a 5-1 loss at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic to the rival Montreal Canadiens, as well as a 2-2-1 record on their five game road trip. 

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David Krejci has been an integral part of the Bruins’ team this season, posting 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 35 games this season. David Krejci was able to score in two consecutive games including the game he was injured in before his prolonged absense from the Bruins, but his presense runs so much deeper than simply points. David Krejci is not only a contributor on the Bruins’ top power play unit, but he is also a very key penalty killer on the team.

“It’s my body and I’ll make the decision. I tell the trainers how I feel and they tell me if that’s good enough to play. But the decision’s on me” – David Krejci

“The guys were battling hard on the road the last 11-12 days so it was kind of lonely in here by myself,” David Krejci told reporters after his first practice back with the team. “It was good to get out there with the guys and get a real practice. Now I’m looking forward to games.” While Krejci might be anxious to return to game action, he is also aware that he will need to continue working hard before he ultimately returns to the team.

“I need to be 100 percent skating and 100 percent shooting. I’m getting there. It was a good day today,” Krejci then said “I’d like to play as soon as possible, but where I’m at right now it’s day-to-day,” When referring to the Bruins’ upcoming game against the Montreal Canadiens, Krejci said “We’ll see how I feel tomorrow in warmups.”

One concern that could be had regarding David Krejci’s status for Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens is the fact that he didn’t take contact in his return to practice on Monday. “Today was a good practice, lots of skating and passing, wasn’t much contact, so…I don’t think I hit anyone, I don’t think anyone hit me. But it was a good day,” Krejci said.

The Boston Bruins have looked very different without David Krejci in the lineup with their dynamic offense clearly taking a big step backwards without their veteran center. Ryan Spooner has done an incredible job at producing points in David Krejci’s absence, but he simply cannot replicate the same kind of offense that Krejci produces; whether it be on his own, or by opening chances for others on his line. His return to the lineup is exactly what the Bruins need right now if they plan on remaining in a playoff position.

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At the Bruins’ practice on Monday, David Krejci skated in a green jersey alongside Tyler Randell as well as fellow-returnee, fellow Czech, and fellow “David”, David Pastrnak.

The 19 year old Czech forward returned to the Bruins lineup recently after being held out with a foot injury since October 31st. Unfortunately, David Pastrnak suffered a minor upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup as well, but he seems to be getting closer to a return with each and every passing day.

“I’m feeling better. That was my first practice with the team, so all my focus is just to get back 100 percent and then we go from there. Today was the best day so far and hopefully tomorrow will be a good day as well,” Pastrnak said.

Next: Mistakes Resulting In Lost Points for Bruins

The Boston Bruins will need to be at, or close to 100 percent moving forward in the second half of the season if they want to make the playoffs; a task that is easier said than done. Keeping both David Krejci and David Pastrnak out of the lineup is not ideal for the Bruins, but it’s also easier to accept the fact that both players might miss a few extra games in the middle of the season to ensure they are at 100 percent health as opposed to seeing them return early and get injured in the long-run.

Follow Brandon Share-Cohen on Twitter @BShareCohen to discuss all things Bruins and sports