David Krejci – 47 Games – 10 Goals, 18 Assists – 28 Points – ATOI: 18:17
This pick might be an unpopular one.
David Krejci’s 2016-17 season started off slowly, to say the least. The veteran center was recovering from an injury until very late in the offseason, and as a result, his play suffered in the early goings of the year. Things have gotten better as of late, however, and Krejci has posted nine points in his last 12 games. On the year, Krejci has posted a 51.4 faceoff percentage, as well as a 53
Still, Bruins’ fans expect more from Krejci. Whether it’s his past performance or his $7.25 million salary cap hit – or both, that play a role in expectations for the 30-year-old, there simply needs to be more. Krejci is logging nearly 20 minutes a night, plays on both the power play and the penalty kill, and contributes both with and without the puck. The issue, however, has been Krejci’s inconsistency from a game-to-game basis.
When looking at the Bruins roster this season, the No. 5 spot on this list could have gone to a few players. Tim Schaller has been a present surprise and has played well in a fourth-line role for the Bruins. The same could be said about Dominic Moore, who has earned his playing time this year alongside Schaller on the fourth line. In the end, however, Krejci gets the nod for his second quarter of the season. Hopefully, Krejci can continue to trend upwards with the team, especially with a third-consecutive missed playoff bid seeming more and more likely by the day.