Boston Bruins David Krejci is player to watch going forward

The Boston Bruins made a deal at the trade deadline to bring in a winger to play on the 2nd line. That appears to have pleased David Krejci.

Boston Bruins‘ center David Krejci is an amazing playmaker. People often forget that in 2011 when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, it was the strong, consistent play of Krejci that got the team over the top. In 25 playoff games that season, Krejci notched a league high 12 goals and 11 assists, to lead the playoffs in points with 23. Those are elite numbers.

For the past decade, Krejci and fellow centerman Patrice Bergeron have been the 1a and 1b center options for the Bruins. Krejci has gone over 60 points 5 times in the last 8 full NHL seasons (’12-’13 was a shortened 48 game season), which is just as many times as Bergeron has done it. But the thing about Krejci? He never seems to have been given top notch linemates to skate with, or even a consistent set of linemates. Can you imagine how that would have only increased his production over the years?

Bergeron has been blessed to be paired with Brad Marchand for several years now, who has proved himself to be an elite scorer on his own. And now he has a sharpshooter in David Pastrnak on his other wing. Those are some solid wingers to get to play with.

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But for Krejci? The closest he came to a consistent line he skated with recently was Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton. But to be completely honest, Lucic and Horton were not exactly offensive dynamos. In fact, I think a lot of the success Lucic and Horton had in Boston is directly related to the fact they got to play with an elite playmaker in Krejci, and not vice versa.

Bruins go all in for Krejci

At the trade deadline, the Bruins pushed all of their chips into the pot, and acquired Rick Nash to play alongside Krejci’s right wing. Krejci has been skating with young gun Jake DeBrusk on his left wing most of the season, and the two have developed great chemistry. But the 2nd line right wing has mostly been up in the air. Most recently it was Ryan Spooner, a left-handed center playing on the off-wing. Not exactly the recipe for long term success.

Take another look at David Krejci's fourth career hat trick. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/RzhF1K4P4p
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 2, 2018

It’s only been 3 games, but the chemistry between DeBrusk-Krejci-Nash has been impressive. In last night’s dismantling of the Penguins, Krejci had a hat trick. Nash had a goal and assist. DeBrusk had an assist. In the 3 games since Nash joined the team, Krejci has 4 points (3-1), Nash has 3 points (2-1), and DeBrusk has 3 points (0-3).

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There’s 20 games left this season, and then (hopefully) at least 16 playoff games for the Bruins. Krejci has finally be provided with a linemate who can fully take advantage of his elite playmaking skills, while at the same time, bringing the best out of Krejci. If Krejci and Nash develop chemistry, I hope that the Bruins would at least kick the tires on bringing Nash back beyond this season.