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Bruins’ David Krejci Set to Play in 1,000th NHL Game

By Ryan Gagne

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 12: David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 12, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 12: David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 12, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Anyone looking into the Boston Bruins record book will discover legendary names like Ray Bourque, John Bucyk, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara. Furthermore, when they look into who has played the most games in franchise history, they will also learn that current general manager Don Sweeney and Wayne Cashman also played over a thousand games in black and gold.

Since 2020, the list featured just six names until Monday afternoon, when longtime center David Krejci will join the exclusive club. Moreover, if healthy, the group will expand again next season when Brad Marchand joins the club, meaning this generation of Bruins fans will have witnessed three of the longest careers in history.

David Krejci’s Journey to Bruins Immortality

Late in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the Bruins still needed to make their first selection when their turn came up at number 63. The general manager at the time, Mike O’Connell, called Krejci’s name, selecting an 18-year-old junior player from Sternberk, Czechia.

Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) walks onto the ice before a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2023 Winter Classic ice hockey game at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) walks onto the ice before a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2023 Winter Classic ice hockey game at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports /

Instead of joining the franchise in the minor leagues, Krejci opted to play with the Gatineau Olympiques, collecting 144 points in two seasons. Then, as a 20-year-old, he got promoted to the Providence Bruins producing at a 1.07-point-per-game pace, accumulating 74 points in 69 games and earning a call-up to the NHL. On Jan. 30, 2007, Krejci made his NHL debut, registering no points in a loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Despite a six-game introduction, he returned to Providence and waited for his next opportunity.

Nevertheless, it was a short wait since Krejci cracked the opening night lineup for 2007-08. However, after only three points in 12 games, he returned to the minors for more practice. Then, Krejci rejoined the team on New Year’s Eve 2007 in a contest against the Atlanta Thrashers before departing the big club again in 2020-21.

After 16 years of towing the slab as one of the Bruins’ top centers, Krejci returned to Czechia to play a season in front of friends and family in Czech Extraliga. Many presumed that his NHL days were over; however, he returned in the summer of 2022, requesting one last chance to win another Stanley Cup.

Inside Krejci’s Bruins Milestones

Krejci scored his first NHL goal on Feb. 26, 2008, against Martin Gerber and the Ottawa Senators. Heading into today’s milestone game, he’s collected 226 goals, which ranks 16th all-time in club history. Furthermore, he’s just one of 20 players to ever collect 200 goals, with his latest milestone happening on Dec. 3, 2019, against James Reimer and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Interestingly, Krejci has never been known for his goal-scoring, so it will surprise no one to learn that he ranks sixth all-time in assists. Thanks to 535 helpers, he ranks behind Bourque, Bucyk, Bobby Orr, Bergeron, and Phil Esposito. Furthermore, unless he returns for another season, it may not be easy to pass Esposito, who sits 18 assists ahead, 553-535.

Nov 23, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the game-tying goal against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the game-tying goal against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports /

Nevertheless, on the verge of one thousand games, Krejci can take solace that no matter where he finishes on the all-time scoring charts, he is one of nine players to score 700 points in a Bruins uniform. However, he’ll need to collect 39 more points before the end of the season to eclipse 800, a long shot but achievable with another season’s worth of work.

Krejci’s Bruins Postseason Magic

As the team prepares to honor the latest player to enter the thousand-game club, attention must be given to Krejci’s abilities to come through in the clutch of the Stanley Cup playoffs. During his long run with the Bruins, which started in 2007, he’s been to the Stanley Cup Final on three separate occasions, leading the team in scoring on two trips.

In 156 career playoff games, he’s tallied 42 goals and 82 assists for 124 points, ranking amongst the most significant numbers in club history. Furthermore, his production has his name next to legends like Bourque and Bergeron in games played, goals, and points. Additionally, his goal totals are ranked sixth behind Cam Neely, Marchand, Bergeron, Esposito, and Rick Middleton.

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 12: David Krejci, #46 of the Boston Bruins, looks on during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 12, 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 12: David Krejci, #46 of the Boston Bruins, looks on during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 12, 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Krejci led the Bruins in scoring during the 2011 playoff run, which ended a 39-year drought for the Bruins, the last team in the city to win a championship in the new century. Not only did the Czechia native lead the B’s, but he also led all playoff scorers with 12 goals and 23 points, a feat he duplicated in 2013 with 17 assists and 26 points. Despite the team’s loss in game six, he was in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy with another spectacular performance.

Furthermore, although he was 32 during the 2019 run to the Final, which ended in a game-seven defeat, Krejci managed 16 points in 24 games, finishing sixth in assists and 13th in points that postseason. If that was his last chance at a championship, he gave his opponents the best he had and will always have his other magical playoff runs to look back on.

Krejci Deserves Recognition for His Achievements

Krejci has worn an “A” for most of his career in Boston, an honor upheld by the various coaches. He’s been a leader in the dressing room and on the ice as a top center on the roster, something everyone around him acknowledges. However, despite playing beside Bergeron, one of the game’s greatest two-way forwards, Krejci has never had the spotlight, and he’s never shown he craves it. He’s spent his entire career letting his game speak for itself, whether setting up future Hall of Famers or ushering in a new era of wingers. Furthermore, Krejci has out-of-this-world chemistry with his countryman David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, forming the Czech line, which currently makes up the second wave of the Bruins attack.

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 15: David Pastrnak #88 (L) and David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins speak during the second period against the Washington Capitals during Game One of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs May 15, 2021, at Capital One Arena on May 15, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 15: David Pastrnak #88 (L) and David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins speak during the second period against the Washington Capitals during Game One of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs May 15, 2021, at Capital One Arena on May 15, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

Additionally, Krejci’s return is one of the significant reasons behind the Bruins’ success in 2022-23. When he was gone last year, the team missed his presence in the lineup, and their overall production hurt, resulting in a first-round loss, something he hadn’t experienced in five postseason trips.

Now that 46 is back in the lineup and chasing down Bruins’ milestones, everyone must take a moment to appreciate what he’s meant to the club on and off the ice. Although he’s never had to be the best player in the lineup, he’s been a loyal soldier whose consistency will be honored by suiting up for this 1,000th game, a milestone many players have spent a lifetime trying to achieve. In the end, Krejci did it with grace and elegance, showcasing that talent and skill will endure and be what people remember most about a player’s legacy.

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