A return to Boston is officially in David Krejci’s hands
The Boston Bruins and free agent center David Krejci have indeed been in communication.
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That was the plan as soon as it became official that Krejci was back in the United States for the summer. And it was certainly encouraging for the Bruins, who have basically said (without outright saying) that they’d take him back in a heartbeat.
But whether or not Krejci decides to return to the Bruins after just one season back in his native Czech Republic and playing for his hometown HC Olomouc, however, is entirely his call.
“I’ve been in touch with David and [his agent] that he’s working with,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney confirmed Wednesday. “Again, he’s spent a lot of time with his family deciding what he’d like to do. But the conversations have gone well. It’s just a matter of when David decides, ultimately, and if we’re gonna be the place that he chooses.”
With a reported interest in both Vincent Trocheck and Nazem Kadri, it only makes sense for the Bruins to have an interest in Krejci. And though Krejci is undoubtedly longer in the tooth than both of those other options, he may represent the Bruins’ best play as an immediate answer to the second line without putting your already uncertain future in an even weirder spot with a major financial commitment on what will ultimately and inevitably be diminishing returns.
See, if the 36-year-old Krejci returns to Boston for 2022-23, it’s likely going to be on the same ‘year-to-year’ plan Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron is living. That, for the Bruins, means no long-term commitment in terms of years or dollars. The same cannot be said on a potential play for either Kadri or Trocheck, with the former potentially costing well over $8 million per year while the latter is almost certain to get a five or six-year deal worth at least $5.5 million per season, you’d think.
So while a Krejci reunion may not be the No. 1 move for the Bruins to make in 2022, the obvious point is that it would hurt the wallet a lot less than the other splashes. When talking about a ‘wallet’ slated to enter the offseason with just over $2.3 million in available cap space, that matters, and in a major way.
Beyond the financials, it’s easy to see how Krejci could get what he wants this time around, as the most likely landing spot for any second-line center added to the mix this offseason is between Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak. That winger duo had a good thing going in 2021-22, and both wings have experience (and success) playing with Krejci. Krejci was also real, real blunt when it came to his desire to play with Pastrnak more than he did prior to his 2021 departure.
It makes all the sense in the world, but it’s all moot until Krejci himself makes a decision.
One that the B’s clearly hope includes a 617 area code.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
