David Krejci's presence vital to Bruins' success

PHILADELPHIA – Since we’re in the City of Brotherly Love, let’s reminisce for a minute about what could have been if Boston Bruins forward David Krejci never suffered a dislocated wrist in Game 3 of the second-round series against the Flyers in 2010.

I know it’s tough to think about for Bruins fans, but stay with me for a second. Boston had a 3-0 series lead. It’s no coincidence the Bruins eventually imploded and lost that series without Krejci in the lineup. Had he been healthy, it’s quite possible the Bruins would have reached the Stanley Cup finals that season.



Krejci is only one player, but his presence is so significant to the success of the Bruins. He brings depth to the center position. With him and Patrice Bergeron as the 1-2 punch up the middle, it’s a challenge for the opposition to defend them.

Krejci’s only 31 but he’s been dealing with back issues this season and has been limited to 12 games. There are a lot of hard minutes on that body and dealing with a back injury will be a challenge the entire season. When he’s in the lineup, the Bruins are a completely different team.

“We’re a lot tougher team to defend when he’s in the lineup,” said Bruce Cassidy. “He just gets other people’s attention. It would’ve been nice to see him finish a few of those in tight today, but at the end of the day, I love having him back in the lineup. He’s a big part of our team.

“I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t sure (Friday) if he was going to play. To be honest, I thought it was more Monday. He felt good. He wants to play. He wants to be part of it. He’s got some jump this year. He’s got some young kids around him, different wingers that can contribute that he seems to have chemistry with, whether it’s David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk or Anders Bjork."

It’s an important season for Krejci and the Bruins. With so many young players in the lineup, the veterans create a type of insulation to protect the rookies and help them develop at the NHL level. It’s a good learning tool for Bjork and DeBrusk to be on the veteran’s wing and see how he can control the game by slowing it down.

Getting ready for games isn’t easy for Krejci these days. No one outside the locker room knows the extent of his discomfort, but his teammates are impressed with the way he's able to prepare in order to be in the lineup.

Since it was a 1 o’clock game, there was no morning skate for the Bruins. However, Krejci, along with the other injured players and healthy scratches, participated in a brief morning twirl at Wells Fargo Center. Krejci arrived at the rink at 8 a.m. and he admitted it was tough to focus and get himself in the right frame of mind to play.

“I felt good,” he said. “It felt good to be out there with the guys and got a big time. Personally, I felt good so it’s a good step forward.”

When asked about the grind to prepare, Krejci took a deep breath.

“Hopefully it goes away,” Krejci said. “I felt good on the ice and I’m glad we made the decision. I’m trying to help as much as I can. My first game back (on Nov. 16) was kind of tough. (Today) I felt like the puck was stuck on my tape with some of the plays I was making out there. I had a couple of good chances, but couldn’t bury them. My game was pretty close to where I want it to be.”

With most of the injured players back in the lineup, and the younger players hitting their stride, the Bruins are becoming the type of team the organization was hoping for this season before adversity hit. Boston is showing it has real depth and it starts with Krejci’s presence.

“He’s a very talented player and always has been,” said Brad Marchand. “He’s has a gift that very few guys in this league have to slow things down and the way he sees the ice. He’s special and he makes everyone around him better. He’s a big loss for us when he’s out. Even with the amount of time, he’s missed this year he looked great tonight. He’s only going to continue to get better as the season goes on and we’re going to need him because he’s a big part of our team.”

Imagine if Krejci was healthy in 2010. Maybe they could have been the first time since the ’98 Red Wings to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.