Here’s hoping that the Bruins can give David Krejci some consistency on the right wing in 2021.
Boston Bruins second-line center David Krejci is closing in on some milestones from his 14 years with the Bruins. He is 14 points shy of 700 and 21 assists away from 500. He is also 18 helpers away from passing former Boston great Rick Middleton for eighth on the Bruins all-time list.
Even in a shortened 2020-21 season, Krejci should not have a problem collecting 14 points for 700. Twenty-one and 18 assists might be tricky for the veteran, but if past history has a say, it still might be doable.
In 2012-13, Krejci had 23 assists in 47 games. During the 2015-16 season, he registered 24 assists in 47 games. Not bad. The NHL is rumored to play around 56 games this season, so 18 and 21 assists might actually be achieved if he can stay healthy.
Last season, he had 30 assists in 61 regular-season games. It might have been quietly one of the most frustrating seasons for Krejci in his career with Boston. Unlike first-line center Patrice Bergeron who has gifted goal-scorer David Pastrnak on his right wing and all of a sudden one of the team’s best playmakers Brad Marchand on his left, producing points has not been a problem for the leagues top-line.
Krejci is not blessed with the talent on his wings as Bergy is. Jake DeBrusk has been a mainstay on the left side and is two years removed from a career-high 27 goals. Last season would have been his second consecutive 20-goal season, but it was cut short after 70 games because of the season pause for the coronavirus pandemic.
While there has been some consistency with DeBrusk, the right side has been an ongoing rotation that the Bruins just can’t find the answer to.
Charlie Coyle was moved up from his third-line center spot to fill in on the right side during the season next to Krejci, but in the big picture, Coyle’s best spot for the team is centering the third line.
At the trade deadline, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney traded for Ondrej Kase from the Anaheim Ducks in hopes to help solve the right wing woes for Krejci, but shortly after the trade, the season was paused. In the Return to Play over the summer, Kase had spurts that showed he could be the player the Bruins were hoping they were getting at the time of the trade.
In October, Sweeney added middle-six right wing depth when he signed former Nashville Predators 20-goals scorer Craig Smith. This has an opportunity to be a good signing that adds secondary scoring, something that has plagued the Bruins the last couple of years.
Krejci enters the final year of his contract and at 34 years old with a $7 million cap hit. Who knows what the future holds for one of the game’s better playmakers following this season. Giving him a right wing that adds production on a consistent basis would go a long way in helping to solve the secondary scoring issues following the Bruins’ top line.