David Krejci has no thought if that is his last NHL go-round. And, at this stage of his profession, that’s simply the way in which he likes it.
Krejci, away from the Bruins and the National Hockey League for a yr whereas fulfilled his dream if enjoying for his hometown group in Czechia, made his return to Warrior Ice Arena on Monday for the ultimate captain’s apply earlier than Wednesday’s official opening of coaching camp.
“The older you get…you just kind of play it out and see how you feel, see if people still want you or not,” stated the tanned and fit-looking Krejci. “That’s maybe the beauty of it. You don’t know what’s going to happen next year so you try to take the most out of the opportunity you have in front of you and whatever happens after that happens. It’s out of your hands. You’re just focusing on having a really good year, try to have fun as well. Because I did miss it when I was in Europe, although I had fun. It was different.”
There isn’t any query that Krejci is needed in Boston this season, from a each a participant and administration perspective. That was vital for the 36-year-old veteran to know.
“I talked to (Patrice Bergeron) a few time before I started working on the deal with my agent and Don (Sweeney). And yeah, those talks obviously helped. But it’s nice when a player like Bergy calls you and tells you all about the expectations and what he’s thinking,” stated Krejci. “That’s nice That’s what you want, if somebody wants you. That’s what you want to hear. The same with Don and Cam Neely) when they called me. I felt they thought I could make a difference and and they really want me on this team. And it was mutual. It wasn’t a very hard decision.”
Krejci at first was coy when requested the place he felt is after a yr away (“It’s up to you guys to judge,” he stated with a smile), however he sounded assured that he may soar proper again into the world’s greatest hockey league. While enjoying within the Czech league is an apparent drop down from the NHL, he was bolstered by how effectively he was capable of play in worldwide competitors each on the Olympics and later on the World Championships, the place he and David Pastrnak led Czechia to the bronze medal.
“It was kind of a reminder that I still have it. I feel great, I love the game and when Pasta came we played some good hockey,” stated Krejci. “That was kind of the point where maybe I started thinking I’d make a comeback. Then the Bruins called and it went from there.”
One of essentially the most intriguing issues about this Bruins group is the doable line of Krejci centering Taylor Hall and Pastrnak. He performed effectively with Hall two years in the past when Craig Smith was the fitting wing and, although he didn’t get to play a lot along with his countryman earlier than he went again dwelling, he feels he’ll be capable of click on with Pastrnak with out drawback, as evidenced by their work on the Worlds.
“He’s that kind of guy where I don’t have to play with him much in the past. I hadn’t played with him the whole last year, then he came to Worlds after the guys lost in the first round and it seemed like I played with him the whole season. We have a chemistry and we don’t have to practice much together. We just go out and do our thing,” stated Krejci.
Echoing Pastrnak’s and Hall’s emotions about what ought to be a fairly harmful line, Krejci is happy on the prospect.
“That would be obviously awesome,” stated Krejci. “They’re two of the best players in the league. If I get a chance to play with them, or at least one of them, we’ll talk a lot. I’ve played with both of them in the past and the chemistry shouldn’t be a problem. Just get up to speed and talk a lot, in the room and on the ice.”
Much has been made about Krejci’s need to play with Pastrnak,and it was a consider his returning. He even made a little bit of stir final season when, in a report in a Czech outlet, he groused a bit about Pastrnak lastly being moved off the Bergeron-Brad Marchand line after he had left.
But Krejci stated that the chance to play with Pastrnak wasn’t the one cause for his return to the one NHL group and metropolis he’s identified.
“If you look at this whole season, there are so many exciting opportunities – the Winter Classic, obviously 1,000 games for the Bruins (he’s 38 shy of that plateau), lots of guys I grew up (with together) in this locker room are still here. So there’s just so many things I get excited about coming back and playing with Pasta is one of them as well. I’m just really excited to be back.”
Lysell wins it for B’s at Prospect Challenge
Fabian Lysell, The B’s 2021 first spherical decide and one of many B’s fascinating rookies, scored in a shootout to elevate the B’s rookies to a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils’ youngers within the finale on the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo on Monday. The B’s have been 2-1 within the event. Scoring in regulation on Monday have been Georgi Merkulov (he additionally tallied a shootout aim) and Johnny Beecher. Beecher, the B’s first spherical decide in 2019, did nothing to harm his candidacy for a roster spot, scoring a aim in every of the three video games performed in Buffalo.
Source: www.bostonherald.com